Our family is in an interesting position when it comes to the recent peanut/salmonella scare. Because I (Steve) am allergic to peanuts, we have almost nothing in the house with peanuts as an ingredient.  But plenty of people love peanut butter, and salmonella’s a scary disease.  The description in this Slate article makes it sound awful:

But most people exposed to salmonella—bacteria that originate in the feces of animals and humans—do develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours. If this happens, you should call a doctor, who might prescribe antibiotics or just tell you to drink lots of fluids. Often the sickness will pass in four to seven days, although in more severe cases—when bacteria get into the bloodstream—salmonella poisoning can lead to arterial infections, heart inflammation, and Reiter’s syndrome, a form of arthritis.

via I just ate salmonella-tainted peanut butter. What do I do now? – By Christopher Beam – Slate Magazine.

photo credit: tamburix