Schools across Rhode Island must abide by a new law this coming school year to protect children with peanut allergies.

The law requires schools to post signs noting that if some students have a peanut or tree nut allergy, the schools must prohibit the sale of any food with nuts.

NBC 10’s Kelley McGee said the law also requires one classroom per grade and one table in the cafeteria to be peanut- and tree nut-free.

“This particular allergy is life-threatening,” said Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, D-Woonsocket. “You’re not telling these folks that they can not eat peanut butter. You’re just simply asking them to not eat peanut butter or peanut products in the presence of a child who has a peanut or nut allergy.”

The law was passed over the summer by the General Assembly.

“There are many students who have dairy allergies and we certainly would not want to go to the next step and eliminate milk from the lunch program,” said Rep. Joe Amaral, R-Tiverton/Portsmouth.

Amaral believes the law goes too far and that there are better ways to protect kids that don’t draw attention to their condition.

“I believe that there are HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws that are being violated by segregating kids because they have peanut allergies,” he said.

The state Department of Education is assisting schools with implementing the law.

“They need to know if they have a child in their school that has a peanut allergy,” said school health specialist Jackie Ascrizzi. “And most schools do know that because the school nurses review the records before school starts.”

McGee said both proponents and opponents of the law agree that the success of the initiative relies on the diligence of students and parents who have to make sure peanut products don’t show up where they are not supposed to be.

Source: TurnToTen.com, Providence, August 22, 2007 and the American Peanut Council Newsletter.

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A peanut butter sandwich could help a creative kid chef pay for college. The makers of Jif® peanut butter, the number one choice of choosy moms, announced today a call-for-entries for the Sixth Annual Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest(TM). The grand prize is a $25,000 scholarship fund with each of the four runners-up receiving a $2,500 scholarship fund. Parents can help their kids (ages 6-12) enter this nationwide contest between August 1, 2007 and November 15, 2007.

“We are once again excited to encourage parents to get creative with their children in the kitchen for an opportunity to win a college scholarship fund,” says Maribeth Badertscher, Director, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company.

The Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest(TM) is intended to foster creativity and encourage parents and children to spend time together in the kitchen. Over the past five years, thousands of kid chefs from across the country have reinvented the classic peanut butter sandwich. From sushi rolls and lettuce wraps to empanadas and paninis, kids have been inspired from all different culinary styles and cultural backgrounds to create a “sandwich” with their favorite foods.

The winner of last year’s most creative peanut butter sandwich was inspired by a love of sushi. Twelve-year-old Alexandra Yoder of Fort Wayne, Indiana created “Peanut Butter Rolls - Sushi Style,” consisting of Jif Creamy peanut butter, strawberry cream cheese and fruit rolled in a crepe, cut and served “sushi style.” Alexandra added more creativity to her sandwich by finishing off the “sushi” with pretzel rods for chopsticks and chocolate yogurt for soy sauce.

The Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest(TM) is open to children ages 6 to 12, and sandwiches will be judged on the following criteria: creativity, nutritional balance, taste, appearance and ease of preparation. For Official Rules and entry form visit www.jif.com. Entries must be postmarked by November 15, 2007 and received by November 22, 2007: Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest(TM), Cohn & Wolfe, 292 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Ten finalists will be selected by a panel of judges in December and posted on www.jif.com in January as part of a nationwide online vote. Five finalists will ultimately be selected to compete in a live judging event in New York City in March 2008.

For more information about other Jif tips, recipes, contests and promotions log on to www.jif.com. Also on the Web site, families can see never-before-seen footage of the 5th Annual Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest(TM).

About The J.M. Smucker Company

The J. M. Smucker Company is the leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk and health and natural foods beverages in North America. Its family of brands includes Smucker’s®, Jif®, Crisco®, Pillsbury®, Eagle Brand®, R.W. Knudsen Family®, Hungry Jack®, White Lily® and Martha White® in the United States, along with Robin Hood®, Five Roses® and Bick’s® in Canada. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. Since 1998, the Company has appeared on FORTUNE Magazine’s annual listing of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the United States, ranking number one in 2004. For more information about the company, visit www.smuckers.com.

Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, used under license.

Source: PR Newswire, August 1, 2007 and the American Peanut Council Newsletter.

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ConAgra Foods Inc. said Monday it plans this month to reopen the South Georgia plant where thousands of jars of peanut butter linked to a national outbreak of salmonella were filled.

The Omaha-based company said it was planning to reopen its Sylvester plant after spending at least $15 million on renovations that include repairing the roof, installing new equipment and creating a design to better separate raw materials and the finished product.

“Right now we’re in the final stages of getting everything ready to produce Peter Pan peanut butter there,” said Stephanie Childs, a company spokeswoman.

The plant was shut down in February after health officials linked the Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter to a salmonella outbreak. More than 600 people in 47 states reported becoming ill, and the company faces lawsuits in several states.

The company traced the outbreak to three problems at the plant last August.

The plant’s roof leaked during a rainstorm, and the sprinkler system went off twice because of a faulty sprinkler, which the company said was repaired. The moisture from those three events mixed with dormant salmonella bacteria in the plant that the company said likely came from raw peanuts and peanut dust.

The plant was cleaned thoroughly after the roof leak and sprinkler problem, but the company said the salmonella remained and somehow came in contact with peanut butter before it was packaged.

The outbreak cost ConAgra $66 million before taxes during the fiscal year and hurt peanut butter sales, which still generated about $92 million in 2007 versus $147 million in 2006, according to the company’s latest earnings report.

The Peter Pan brand will be back on store shelves this month, although initially it will be produced at another plant, Childs said.

Another Georgia company, Castleberry’s Foods off Augusta, is involved in a recall of canned goods found to contain botulism.

Source: The Associated Press, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 08/06/07 and the American Peanut Council Newsletter.

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A new national survey shows that the majority of Canadians at risk for a severe, potentially fatal allergic reaction do not carry their life-saving medication with them. Worse yet, most Canadians would not know what to do in the event of someone having a potentially fatal allergic attack, known as anaphylaxis.

The new survey of 1,502 Canadians commissioned by King Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Anaphylaxis Canada, reveals that only one in five Canadians at risk for an anaphylactic attack remember to carry an epinephrine auto-injector with them at all times. An injection of epinephrine is the definitive treatment for someone experiencing an anaphylactic attack, which can be fatal in minutes if untreated. Additionally, while 97 percent of Canadians are aware that an allergic reaction can kill someone, only 45 percent would know how to treat someone having an allergic reaction by administering a life-saving dose of epinephrine using an emergency auto-injector such as the EpiPen(R) auto-injector (epinephrine injection). “The results of this survey emphasize the need to educate Canadians about. life-threatening allergies and how we can all work together as a community to protect the safety of people who are at risk,” says Laurie Harada, Executive Director, Anaphylaxis Canada. “Since it is often difficult for people to avoid exposure to different allergens, it is important to make sure that an allergic person’s family, friends, and teachers are educated about their allergies. These people should be ready to assist in the event of an emergency.” Approximately 600,000 Canadians (or 1 percent to 2 percent) are estimated to have allergic sensitivities, placing them at risk for anaphylaxis, although some experts believe that this incidence rate could be understated. The most common triggers for anaphylaxis include foods, insect stings, drugs, latex and exercise.

People experiencing anaphylaxis should use an epinephrine auto-injector at the earliest signs of reaction and then call 911 or be taken to an emergency room. According to the study, 35 percent of respondents say they or someone they know has suffered from an anaphylactic reaction. “If untreated, anaphylaxis can be fatal within minutes, therefore it is vital that individuals with severe allergies carry an up-to-date epinephrine auto-injector at all times,” says Dr. Rhoda Kagan, Pediatric Allergist, North York General Hospital. “In a critical situation where someone is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction, simplicity matters and EpiPen auto-injectors are designed for easy self administration. When administered at the first signs of anaphylaxis, EpiPen auto-injectors can provide individuals the time necessary to obtain more definitive emergency treatment.”

Additional survey highlights:

- 75 percent of Canadians think peanuts can cause a more serious
allergic reaction than milk, when in fact they both can cause a
serious reaction.

- 60 percent of Canadians support a peanut ban in schools and child
care centres, but only 27 percent support a peanut ban in all public
places. Peanut allergy is the most common cause of death from food
allergy, in addition to shellfish, fish and tree nuts.

- Half of Canadians think the food industry is doing a good job of
declaring dangerous allergens on package label.

- Half of Canadians agree that child care centres should be held
responsible if they don’t carry an epinephrine auto-injector and a
child on their premises has a severe allergic reaction.

- One in four survey respondents think public places should be held
responsible if they don’t carry EpiPen and someone on their premises
has a severe allergic reaction.

- 7 out of 10 Canadians agree that restaurants and cafeterias should be
required to list all ingredients on their menu products, even if it
costs diners more.

The Leger study was commissioned by King Pharmaceuticals, maker of EpiPen (epinephrine auto-injector), and in collaboration with Anaphylaxis Canada. Data collection for this study was conducted via Leger Marketing OmniCan. Data was collected between May 29 and June 3, 2007. A random household selection was achieved by inviting residents across Canada over 18 years of age to complete the survey. A total of 1,502 interviews were completed. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

From the American Peanut Council Newsletter

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