Salmonella (Creative Commons/Flickr)

On Sept. 24th, Sunland Inc. voluntarily recalled any products containing its peanuts, such as Trader Joe’s peanut butter, Fresh & Easy peanut butter as well as other types and brands of nut butters, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Sunland urged people to not eat any of the potentially contaminated products and return them to the grocery store for a full refund.

The FDA is currently investigating how the peanuts became contaminated.

“We continue to work closely with the FDA on the investigation…we assist and participate in anything the FDA is requiring us to do,” said Katalin Coburn, Sunland vice president.

The company had no further comment about how their peanuts and products became contaminated with salmonella.

“We are an SQF-certified company, level three, the highest level available,” Coburn said, referring to the Safe Quality Food Institute.

The institute assesses risk and foster safe food production, according to their website. Level three SQF certification indicates “a comprehensive implementation of safety and quality management systems."

Thirty people got sick and four were hospitalized from Sunland’s contaminated peanuts.

Sunland's peanut butter is the third salmonella-related recall within the past two months.

On Aug. 22, the FDA announced a recall for Chamberlain Farms cantaloupes after three people died in Kentucky from salmonella contamination and another 101 people were hospitalized, according to the CDC.

The country was hit again on Sept. 13 when the FDA recalled Agricola Daniella mangos after 25 people were hospitalized and another 121 people became ill from salmonella poisoning, according to the CDC.

Salmonella outbreaks are increasing. There have been 12 salmonella official recalls this year and 11 outbreaks in 2011 involving turkey, beef, pine nuts as well as other fruit, vegetable and animal products. In 2010, there were nine outbreaks and only three in both 2008 and 2009, according to the CDC.

The CDC website advised, “When in doubt, throw it out."

Reach Staff Reporter Katherine Ostrowski here.