South Bend Chocolate Company Recalls Various Candys Containing Peanut Butter Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

The South Bend Chocolate Company today announced a voluntary recall of certain candy products because they contain peanut butter from Peanut Corporation of America, which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

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. For more information on Salmonella, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Website at http://www.cdc.gov.

Candy impacted by the recall are all sold under The South Bend Chocolate Company brand name and were produced on or after July 1, 2008. The candies under recall including:

* Assorted chocolates in 5 ounce (Product 121), 8 ounce (Product 122), 12 ounce (Product 123) and 26 ounce (Product 124) boxes [Note the sugar free assorted chocolates are not affected, and are not part of the recall]
* Hoosiers in 5 ounce (Product 010, UPC# 4482300011) and 3.5 ounce (Product o11, UPC# 4482300010)
* Valentine Heart, 14 ounces (Product 1020)

The following products are also under recall and are sold to retail stores in bulk for sales of smaller quantities to their customers:

* 4.5lb Peanut Butter Fudge, Product 228
* 4 lb. Hoosiers, Product 410
* 5 lb. Peanut Butter Meltaway, Milk Chocolate, Product 204
* 5 lb. Peanut Butter Meltaways-Dark Chocolate, Product 204D
* 4.5lb Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge, Product 229

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products are urged to return it to the store of purchase, or to destroy the product. Consumers with questions may contact The South Bend Chocolate Company at 574-233-2577. Consumers with questions or concerns about their health should contact their health care professional. Consumers with symptoms are urged to visit their health professional or to go to a hospital emergency room.

The South Bend Chocolate Company, based in South Bend, Indiana, said it hasn’t found any problems or received any complaints about these products. Mark Tarner, President of The South Bend Chocolate Company, said: “we are taken these steps out of concern for our customers”.

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