THE importer of Jif peanut butter has been asked to recall the products from the market, said Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said a check conducted by the Health Ministry on the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia data found that the product had been imported into this country.

Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry took note of the product recall from the United States market for potential salmonella contamination through a notification from the International Food Safety Authorities Network.

“The notification stated that the United States Food and Drug Administration has ordered Jif peanut butter products with batch numbers 1274425 to 2140425, with 425 at the last three digits, to be recalled because they were contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

“The peanut butter products had been distributed to several countries such as Canada, Thailand, Honduras, Spain, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia,” he said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.

In addition, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry, through its Food Safety and Quality Division, will continue to monitor all entry points into the country for the affected batch.

“Sellers must stop selling the affected batch immediately while consumers who have purchased the product should avoid consuming it,” he said.

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning if found in meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables and processed food.

Consumers who have any concerns or information may contact their nearest district health office or visit the division’s website or Facebook page. – Bernama, May 30, 2022.