Arico Natural Foods Company Announces US and Canadian Recall of Arico Peanut Butter Cookies and Cookie Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

Beaverton, Oregon based Arico Natural Foods Company announced today a voluntary recall of Arico Peanut Butter Cookies and Cookie Bars as a precautionary measure due to yesterday’s expanded recall of peanut ingredients from Peanut Corporation of America’s Blakely, Georgia facility, which is the subject of an FDA investigation concerning the recent Salmonella outbreak.

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.

The recalled cookies contain peanut butter supplied by Peanut Corporation of America. No known illnesses have been reported to date in connection with Arico Peanut Butter Cookies and Cookie Bars products. Arico Natural Foods Company immediately informed FDA of its actions and is fully cooperating with the Agency. Arico products are sold at health food and grocery stores throughout US and Canada. Included in the recall are:

* Arico Peanut Butter Cookies (4.76 oz stand-up pouch with UPC 1 82363 00022 1)
o Sell-by dates of “080309” and “100509”
o Date code is printed on the top, front, left of each pouch OR on the case label as 08/03/09 and 10/05/09

* Arico Peanut Butter Cookie Bars (1.4 oz with UPC 1 82363 00006 1)
o Sell-by date of AUG0409; M03098
o Date code is printed on the middle, back of individual bar wrapper OR on the case label as 08/04/09

No other Arico Natural Foods cookies or other product lines are included in the recall.

Arico Natural Foods Company made a one-time purchase of organic peanut butter from Peanut Corporation of America that is affected by yesterday expanded recall announcement to include all products produced since January 1, 2007. No other Arico products use raw ingredients from Peanut Corporation of America.

The safety and quality of Arico products are of utmost importance. Arico is destroying any remaining supply of products received from Peanut Corporation of America and has discontinued using them as a supplier. Consumers who have purchased any of the affected peanut butter cookies are advised not to consume these items and may return the items to the store they were purchased from. Consumers with additional questions on the recall may contact our Customer Service at 866-98-ARICO (27426) ext. 21 or contact us online (info@aricofoods.com).