Peanut Butter Salmonella Scare Hits Purity Dairies in Nashville

1/2 Gallon Squares of Purity Nutty Caramel Ice Cream Recalled Due to Salmonella Scare

Purity Dairies, located in Nashville, Tennessee, has announced the voluntary recall of their 1/2 gallon squares of Purity Nutty Caramel ice cream. Purity decided to recall the Purity Nutty Caramel ice cream squares because they contain peanut ingredients from the Peanut Corporation of America. This is the plant which has produced peanut products which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella is a dangerous organism which can causes serious illness in children and the elderly, as well as people with immune deficiencies. Salmonella symptoms usually begin with nausea and vomiting, which lead to abdominal pain and diarrhea. Other salmonella symptoms, which can last anywhere from several days to two weeks, include fever, chills and muscle pains. Salmonella can be deadly, and this outbreak of salmonella in other products has already taken some lives across the country.

About 54,000 units of the Purity Nutty Caramel ice cream were involved in the recall. Apparently numerous stores in Middle and Eastern Tennessee, Southern Kentucky and Northern Alabama sold the 1/2 gallon squares of Purity Nutty Caramel ice cream. Purity states they have heard of no reports of illnesses related to the Nutty Caramel ice cream, so they are pulling the product as a preventative measure. No other Purity Dairies products are being recalled.

Purity Dairies has stopped distributing the Nutty Caramel ice cream squares, and customers who have bought the Nutty Caramel ice cream should throw it away and not eat it. The ice cream packages withthe correct date and UPC number may be returned to the place they purchased for a full refund or exchange. The ice cream in question has the date of December 1, 2009, or earlier printed on one end of the package and the UPC number 07077856200 printed on the other end of the package.

Purity Dairies is operated by the Ezell family in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1926 Miles Ezell, a friend of my grandfather, purchased the farm after he had rented it for a year, and it was named Ezell's Dairy. In 1946, Purity Dairies was formally incorporated, selling dairy products throughout Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky.

The Ezell farm was right down the road from the farm where I grew up, and from junior high through college and even after, I attended school with the Ezell children and later went to church with them. The company is now owned by Dean Foods which purchased Purity Dairies in 1998, but members of the Ezell family are still involved in the management of Purity Dairies. Purity Dairies is a highly respected company in Nashville, and it is hoped the tainted peanut butter does not adversely effect their business or sterling reputation.

Consumers with questions can call 1-800-933-6455 for more information about the recall.

SOURCES

ABC Nightly News Broadcast 2/4/9

The Ransoms of Ransom Place and the Dardens of Tick Hill, a History of the Ransom and Darden Families of Una, TN

Wikipedia.org/wiki/Purity_Dairies