AURORA — Three Aurora nursing home residents were sickened with salmonella bacteria related to tainted peanut butter products, as the number of confirmed cases in Ohio grew to 72.
Portage County health officials said the infections occurred in December, and the department was working with the nursing homes to make sure recalled products were not being served. The agency declined to identify the nursing homes.
The salmonella outbreak, linked to a Georgia processing plant, has sickened more than 500 people in 43 states.
The Ohio Department of Health has reported that two open containers of King Nut peanut butter from a Delaware County nursing home tested positive for salmonella. King Nut Co. of Solon distributed peanut butter processed at the Georgia plant of Peanut Corp. of America.
The government has accused Peanut Corp. of knowingly distributing salmonella-tainted products as far back as 2007.
More than 400 kinds of cakes, crackers, cookies, ice cream and pet food containing peanut butter or peanut paste have been recalled. The Food and Drug Administration maintains an interactive list of the recalled products that it updates regularly.
