Salmonella Suspected in Recalled Kilwin’s Chocolate-Covered Peanuts, FDA Says

Concerns about possible contamination with salmonella bacteria have forced the recall of packages of chocolate-covered peanuts made by Kilwin’s Quality Confections, Inc.

The Petoskey, Mi.-based candy maker is recalling all of its 7-ounce packages and bulk shipment chocolate-covered peanuts sold in the company’s retail stores before April 1, 2009. The recalled candy was sold in Kilwin’s stores in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, according to the Food and Drug Administration recall notice.

Candy purchased on or after April 1, 2009 is not involved in the recall and is not suspected of carrying salmonella bacteria.

The recalled candy was sold in Kilwin’s-branded gold foiled plastic pouches with a clear center section and labeled “Milk Chocolate Peanuts” and “Fresh dry roasted peanuts covered in creamy milk chocolate.” The packages also carry the barcode 001615, the FDA said.

The same candies also were sold in bulk bins at Kilwin’s retail stores, according to the FDA recall notice.

There have been no reports of consumers falling ill from eating contaminated Kilwin’s chocolate-covered peanuts, the FDA said, but the potential for serious illness from salmonella poisoning is great.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.

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