Ministry of Public Health has said in a statement that local markets are free from Jif peanut butter products, batch numbers 1274425 to 2140425, produced at a factory in Lexington - Kentucky, USA. News circulated about its contamination with pathogenic salmonella bacteria and its possible relationship to cases of food poisoning in the US.
The ministry explained that despite the lack of notification about the export of suspected contaminated batches to Qatar and the local markets being free of them, as a precautionary measure, samples were withdrawn from the markets from other batches of peanut butter products from Jif brand with different flavors and tested in the laboratory, where the results showed its safety and suitability for human consumption.
The ministry also clarified that all imported food products traded in the outlets in the local market are subject to verification of health requirements to ensure their safety and compliance with approved standard specifications.