Peanut Butter Recall Hits Illinois: Don’t Swallow Plastic Pieces

If you live in Illinois and your family loves peanut butter, you need to stop what you’re doing and check your pantry right now. A massive recall has just hit 40 states, including right here in Illinois, and it involves one of the most popular snacks in America, peanut butter.

The "Blue Plastic" Problem

The issue started when manufacturers at Ventura Foods LLC discovered a serious problem at one of their facilities. It turns out that fragments of blue plastic from a broken filter managed to find their way into the peanut butter.

While most of us are used to seeing smooth or crunchy textures, "plastic" is a variety nobody wants. The FDA has officially classified this as a Class II recall. That means eating these products could cause temporary health issues or, more frighteningly, pose a choking hazard or cause injury to your mouth and throat.

Where You’ll Find the Risk

This recall is a little different than others you might have seen. You aren't looking for the big 16-ounce jars of Jif or Skippy on the grocery store shelves. Instead, this recall is targeting the single-serve packets and those convenient "PB&J" twin packs often found in school lunches, hospital cafeterias, and office breakrooms.

The brands affected include names like Flavor Fresh, House Recipe (Sysco), and Katy’s Kitchen. If you’ve grabbed a handful of these packets from a local deli or your kid brought some home from a school event, you need to look at the packaging immediately.

How to Check Your Stash

Don’t just throw everything away yet—there are specific codes to look for. Check the back or bottom of the packet for the following lot numbers:

• For PB&J Grape Jelly packs: D086F03, D076F03, D077F03, D102F03, or D104F03.
• For PB&J Strawberry Jam packs: D090F03, D091F03, or D105F03.

If you find a match, the advice from the experts is simple: don’t eat it. Toss it in the trash or take it back to where you got it for a refund. So far, no injuries have been reported, but with over 22,000 products out there, it’s better to be safe than sorry.