Girl Scout cookies with peanut butter have nothing to do with the nationwide salmonella outbreak caused by peanut butter, according to the Girl Scout organization.

 

Girl Scouts are known for their famous cookies, including their Peanut Butter Sandwich, as well as others.

 

ABC Bakers – Interbake Foods announced recently that their items are salmonella-free, mainly because the company does not purchase peanut butter from the Peanut Corporation of America, which is currently under an investigation of the Food and Drug Administration.

 

ABC Bakers therefore encourages people to consume Girl Scout cookies, despite the FDA recommendation to stay away from any product having peanut butter, because the company buys the delicious ingredient from Hampton Farms, a company that was investigated by the FDA. The investigation showed their peanut butter is safe.

 

The current salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter is blamed in six deaths and more than 470 cases of illnesses in 43 states. The most recent cases of salmonella infection have been reported in Baltimore.

 

Health officials said at least two patients were hospitalized. They have also urged consumers to avoid eating any products that contain peanut butter until they have more information about the current outbreak. The list of products that are considered dangerous to human health includes cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods that contain peanut butter.

 

The number of companies recalling their peanut butter products is on the rise in the United States. Kellogg’s has recalled 16 products including peanut butter sandwich crackers and two varieties of peanut butter cookies. The list of companies recalling their products voluntarily from the market also includes the Midwest supermarket chain Hy-Vee Inc. of West Des Moines, Iowa, the Akron, New York-based Perry's Ice Cream Co., and the South Bend Chocolate Co. in Indiana, Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products in suburban Chicago, and McKee Foods Corp. of Collegedale, Tennessee. More recalls may follows as the salmonella investigation continues.