Skippy peanut butter recall 2015: Hormel Foods summons back over 150 cases due to metal shavings

Hormel Foods Corporation announced that they are voluntarily recalling jars of its Skippy peanut butter in several states in America because they may contain metal shavings, Reuters reports.

According to Business Wire, the company is recalling 153 cases, or 1,871 total pounds of the SKIPPY Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread due to the possibility of the presence of metal shavings inside the jars. These were discovered during an in-line magnet check during routine cleaning.

CNBC reports that the recall involves the 16.3 ounce jars with the "Best If Used By" date of DEC1416LR1 and a package UPC code of 37600-10500. However, no other sizes, varieties, or packaging configuarations of SKIPPY peanut butter were affected by the machine malfunction. Areas that may have received the said recalled product include distribution centers for Publix, Target and Walmart located in Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware and Arkansas.

According to Reuters, foodborne objects that are larger than 7 mm in length may cause injuries, including choking with airway obstruction, gastrointestinal perforation, or secondary infection.

Clients who have bought the aforementioned product are encouraged to either return it to the store where it was purchased for an exchange or call Hormel Foods Customer Relations at 1-866-475-4779, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Central Time.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports that Hormel posted strong third-quarter earnings. The company also named James Snee as the new resident and chief operating officer, likely following the steps of Chief Executive Jeffrey Ettinger, under whose leadership led the company to buy Skippy peanut butter, Muscle Milk maker CytoSport Holdings and organic and natural meat processor Applegate Farms. Skippy peanut butter was formerly owned by Unilever.

Market Watch reports that according to the 48 year old Snee, "I understand the incredible legacy of Hormel Foods, and equally as important, I understand our imperatives for growth. The last few years have been exciting for our company as we completed several acquisitions, including the SKIPPY brand, CytoSport Holdings and Applegate Farms, adding to our diverse and exciting portfolio of brands."

"I am excited to partner with Jeff [Ettinger], our senior leadership team, and all of our employees around the world, to continue our journey of innovation and growth," Snee said.

Under Snee's leadership, Ettinger said that the company's international segment experienced a boost in sales and earnings as much as double-digit percentages. The company's revenue also rose 6.5% in the last fiscal year, yielding $9.3 billion.