Starbucks pulls peanut butter products from stores

The Starbucks sign is seen outside one of its stores in New York July 3, 2008. (Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
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LOS ANGELES, Jan. 26 (Chinese media) -- Starbucks Corp

announced on Monday that it has pulled all products containing peanut butter and

peanut paste from its stores in the United States and Canada.

The coffee chain company said the move was taken as a

safety precaution against the salmonella outbreak, which was believed to have

claimed seven lives and sickened almost 500 people in the United States in the

past several months.

Starbucks said some of the pulled products include

the company's protein plate, granola bars and peanut butter cookies.

The U.S. health departments have ordered a massive

recall of salmonella-tainted peanut butter products from the Peanut Corporation

of America's Blakely, Georgia processing facility.

Starbucks said the recall does not affect its

products as the Peanut Corporation of America is not its supplier.

Salmonella bacteria can cause serious and sometimes

fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others with a weakened

immune system. Symptoms in healthy individuals infected with salmonella include

fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.