Jif Peanut Butter Lawsuit: The 2022 Salmonella Recall

The Recall

In May 2022, The J.M. Smucker Company recalled a wide range of Jif peanut butter products over potential salmonella contamination traced to its Lexington, Kentucky facility. The recall covered products with specific lot codes distributed over several months and was tied to a salmonella outbreak reported across multiple states. The recall was costly for the company, reported at roughly $90 million in direct costs.

Peanut butter is a long-shelf-life staple, so a recall like this reaches jars already sitting in millions of pantries.

The Class Action

A proposed class action, Bopp v. The J.M. Smucker Co., was filed on behalf of consumers who bought recalled Jif products, alleging the company sold peanut butter it presented as safe while it could cause salmonella illness. The suit seeks refunds for purchasers — an economic-loss theory that does not require the buyer to have gotten sick, only to have bought a recalled product.

People who actually fell ill would have separate, individual personal-injury claims, which depend on medical proof linking the illness to the product.

What Consumers Should Know

Check any Jif jar against the recall lot codes and discard affected product. For a refund claim, keep proof of purchase where possible; for an illness claim, medical records are the key evidence. Salmonella symptoms usually appear within days and can be serious for young children and older adults.