Dean Foods Co. is the latest ice cream maker to recall varieties made with peanut butter. A Dean processing facility in Buena Park, Calif., and a Meadow Gold Dairy facility in Orem, Utah, today voluntarily recalled two ice cream varieties manufactured for Albertsons supermarkets (a unit of Supervalu). The recall was initiated because the affected products contain a peanut butter ingredient supplied by Sunland, Inc. which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that environmental samples taken in the Sunland Inc. nut butter production facility show the presence of Salmonella.  Further analysis to identify the type of Salmonella is pending, according to an FDA press release.  Environmental samples are samples taken from various surfaces in the production or manufacturing facility that would likely harbor bacteria.  

Dean said that no complaints or reactions have been reported related to these ice cream products to date. Only two flavors of Albertsons ice cream are included in the recall. No Meadow Gold brand ice cream products are included in the recall.

8 other ice cream makers recall their peanut butter ice creams

Other dairy processors that have issued voluntary recalls include Oregon Ice Cream, Clemmys, Belfonte, Smith Dairy, BGC Manufacturing, Toft Dairy, Talenti Gelato, and Rich Products Corp.

Manufacturers of snacks and desserts containing Sunland peanut butter have also issued recalls. See the complete list here.

On Oct. 4, Sunland Inc. expanded its ongoing recall to include all products made in the Sunland nut butter production facility between March 1, 2010 and Sept. 24, 2012.  The company reports that it is adding 139 products to the recall, bringing the total number of products being recalled by Sunland Inc. to 240.

The expanded recall covers all previously identified Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, and Tahini products as well as Roasted Blanched Peanut Products. New product categories being added to the list are several varieties of flavored butters and spreads, including Thai Ginger Butter, Chocolate Butter and Banana Butter.

Manufacturers of snacks and desserts containing Sunland peanut butter have also issued recalls. A list of all products being recalled by Sunland Inc. can be found in the company's recall announcement.  

According to the FDA, 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.

In 2009, at least 388 cases of salmonella in 42 states were reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which traced them to products made by Georgia-based Peanut Corp. of America. About a dozen deaths were linked to the tainted peanut ingredients.