General Nutrition Centers, Inc. Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Certain Lots of GNC Triflex Peanut Butter Soft Chews

Date of Recall

2009-01-22

Recall Details

Pittsburgh, PA, Jan. 22, 2009 – General Nutrition Centers, Inc. (GNC) today announced that it is initiating a precautionary, voluntary recall of certain lots of its GNC Triflex Peanut Butter Soft Chews product sold in 60 count containers UPC 048107036942, lot numbers ending in 8275 and 8255 in response to the widening recall involving peanut butter and peanut paste ingredients manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA is the focus of a current investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concerning possible salmonella contamination in its peanut butter. PCA was a peanut butter ingredient supplier to Primrose Candy Company, the company that manufactures this product for GNC.

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.

This recall involves only GNC Triflex Peanut Butter Soft Chews with lot numbers ending in 8275 and 8255. The product's ten digit lot number can be found on the bottom of the product's package. No other GNC brand products have been impacted by the PCA recall.

The product has not been linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak and there have been no reported cases of the salmonella illness associated with this product. Primrose Candy Company tests every lot of finished GNC Triflex Peanut Butter Soft Chews for salmonella and no salmonella contamination has been detected.

As part of its priority to ensure the safety and quality of all of its products, GNC is issuing the voluntary recall. GNC is working to remove the specified product from retail store shelves and encouraging consumers to verify if they have the specified product.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled product are urged to not consume and destroy the product. Consumers with questions or who would like a refund may contact GNC's Customer Service at 1-888-462-2548, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Customers with questions or concerns about their health should contact their doctor.