Peanut butter recalls have affected millions of consumers and have been responsible for some of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history. Because peanut butter is a shelf-stable, widely distributed product eaten directly from the jar — often by children — recalls can have serious and far-reaching consequences. There are currently multiple food recalls tracked on Recall Tracker, including peanut butter and nut butter products.
This page explains how to check your specific jar, why peanut butter is recalled, which agencies oversee these recalls, and what steps to take if your product is affected.
Step 1: Locate the lot code and best-by date.
These are printed on the bottom or side of the jar lid, or embossed on the jar itself. Lot codes for peanut butter are critical — large manufacturers run multiple production lines, and contamination events typically affect only specific lines or date ranges.
Step 2: Note the UPC barcode.
The UPC code on the label is used in recall notices to identify affected products. Different sizes and varieties of the same brand have different UPCs.
Step 3: Search Recall Tracker.
Go to Recall Tracker and search your brand name. Compare the lot code and best-by date on your jar against the affected ranges in any recall notices returned.
Step 4: Use the barcode scanner.
The barcode scanner at /scan lets you scan your jar's UPC code directly to check it against the recall database. This is the fastest method for checking a specific product.
Step 5: Set up brand alerts.
Visit brands and follow your peanut butter manufacturer to receive automatic notifications if future recalls are issued.
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has primary jurisdiction over peanut butter recalls. Peanut butter is regulated as a processed food product under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) investigates contamination events and works with manufacturers on voluntary recalls, or can compel mandatory recalls under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). See the FDA agency page for more on how FDA recall authority works.
USDA (Food Safety and Inspection Service) may be involved when peanut butter is used as an ingredient in meat or poultry products — for example, peanut butter crackers packaged with meat-based snacks.
Salmonella is the leading cause of peanut butter recalls. The 2008–2009 Peanut Corporation of America outbreak linked to salmonella-contaminated peanut butter and peanut paste sickened at least 714 people across 46 states and was linked to nine deaths — one of the deadliest food contamination events in modern U.S. history.
Peanuts are particularly susceptible to salmonella because dry roasting does not always achieve a consistent kill step when equipment is contaminated. Salmonella can persist in low-moisture environments, such as roasted peanuts and peanut butter, for extended periods. Cross-contamination from equipment, water intrusion, or raw-to-finished-product contact are common routes of entry.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever beginning 6 hours to 6 days after consuming contaminated food. Illness typically lasts 4–7 days. Most people recover without treatment, but children, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised people face higher risk of severe illness.
Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins produced by mold species that grow on peanuts, particularly during drought stress, poor storage, or high humidity. The FDA's action level for aflatoxin in peanut products is 20 parts per billion, above which the product is subject to recall.
Aflatoxin contamination in peanut butter is a recurring concern because peanuts are processed in bulk, and even a small number of contaminated peanuts can elevate aflatoxin levels across a large batch. Long-term exposure to aflatoxin at elevated levels is associated with liver damage and is a known carcinogen.
Undeclared allergen recalls occur when a peanut butter product is manufactured on shared equipment with other allergens — particularly tree nuts — without disclosure on the label, or when a store-brand product is mislabeled with packaging from a different product. These recalls are particularly dangerous for consumers with tree nut allergies who may assume peanut butter is safe.
Physical contaminants including metal fragments from processing equipment, plastic pieces, and insect or rodent material have all been identified in peanut butter recalls. These can result from equipment failures in high-volume processing facilities or from inadequate pest control.
Stop consuming it immediately. Remove the jar from use and do not allow children or other household members to eat it.
Check everyone who ate it. Identify who in your household has consumed the product and within what timeframe. Note any symptoms, including mild gastrointestinal discomfort that might otherwise be attributed to another cause.
Contact a healthcare provider if symptomatic. Salmonella infections can be confirmed through stool culture. If symptoms are severe — bloody diarrhea, high fever, prolonged vomiting, or signs of dehydration — seek medical care promptly.
Keep the jar. Save the jar with the lot code, best-by date, and UPC visible. You will need this for a refund and for any healthcare provider who treats you.
Contact the manufacturer. Most peanut butter recalls offer a full refund. Contact the manufacturer using the recall notice information. Major recalls typically include a consumer hotline.
Dispose of the product safely. Seal the jar and dispose of it in a covered trash container where children and pets cannot access it.
Report illness. If you or a family member became ill, report it to the FDA at fda.gov/safety/medwatch and to your state health department. Consumer illness reports are a critical part of outbreak detection.
Very serious. Salmonella in peanut butter has caused some of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history. Because peanut butter is often consumed by young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals — populations most vulnerable to severe salmonella illness — a recall should be treated as a genuine health risk, not a precautionary formality. Stop consuming the product as soon as you confirm it is in the affected lot range.
Yes. Salmonella can survive for months to years in low-moisture foods like peanut butter. If your jar falls within a recalled lot range, its shelf time does not make it safer. The lot code and best-by date on your jar are what matter, not how long it has been in your pantry.
No. The FDA does not recommend consuming recalled peanut butter in any form. Cooking temperatures vary, and ensuring a sufficient internal temperature throughout a mixed product is unreliable. Dispose of the product rather than attempting to make it safe through heat treatment.
Possibly. If the recalled peanut butter was used as an ingredient in other food products, those products may be subject to a separate or expanded recall. Check the original recall notice for any secondary product listings, and search Recall Tracker for related recalls from the same manufacturer or ingredient supplier.
Search all food recalls to check your specific brand and product, and browse food brands to set up automatic alerts. You can also view recall statistics by category to understand trends in food safety over time. As of {{CURRENT_DATE}}, Recall Tracker is actively monitoring recalls from FDA, USDA, and seven additional agencies.
Start by checking the brand name, product size, UPC, lot code, and best-by date on the jar or pouch, then compare them against active and past recall notices. On RecallTracker, you can search brand names on /brands or scan the barcode on /scan to quickly see whether a product matches a published recall.
Peanut butter is most often recalled for possible Salmonella contamination, but some recalls also involve aflatoxin risk or undeclared allergens when the label is wrong. Because peanut butter is shelf-stable and often kept for months, old recalled jars can remain in kitchens long after the original recall announcement, which is why checking /statistics and recent alerts matters.
Not until you confirm your exact jar is outside the affected lot codes and date range. Peanut butter has a long shelf life, so a recalled product may still be in your pantry long after distribution; using /scan or searching the brand on /brands is faster than relying on memory.
Do not eat it, and do not donate it or feed it to anyone else, especially children, older adults, or people with weakened immune systems. Follow the recall notice for disposal or refund instructions, then use RecallTracker Premium on /pricing if you want alerts and faster monitoring for products you buy regularly.
No brand type is automatically protected from recalls because contamination risk can come from shared manufacturing equipment, ingredient sourcing, or labeling errors. Store brands, natural peanut butters, and major national brands can all be affected, so checking product history on /statistics and searching specific labels on /brands is more reliable than assuming one category is safer.