A Lake Forest man died recently after eating peanut butter from a batch that has since been recalled and Waukegan attorney Patrick Salvi is having the remaining peanut butter from the jar tested to see if it is contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

If the laboratory tests come back positive, Salvi said Wednesday he will file a wrongful death civil lawsuit against ConAgra, the manufacturer, and anyone else responsible for the defective peanut butter.

Salvi, of the law firm Salvi, Schostok and Pritchard, said George Baldwin, Jr., 77, had made himself toast and spread on Peter Pan peanut butter on Jan. 30.

"Within six hours of eating the sandwich, he began exhibiting symptoms consistent with salmonella poisoning, including diarrhea, vomiting and fever," said Salvi. "That led to his pulmonary arrest on Feb. 2."

Baldwin had been undergoing treatment for cancer and his immune system was compromised, Salvi said.

"There appears a reasonable probability that he died from salmonella poisoning," Salvi added. "To confirm that, we need tests done by an independent lab." The remains of the peanut butter jar will be tested for salmonella contamination.

There is a complication. Baldwin "was cremated before his family knew there was a connection with the peanut butter," Salvi said.

"After they read about it in a newspaper, they checked the peanut jar lid and saw the 2111 code, and then contacted me."

While the peanut butter had been purchased from the Jewel Food Store in Lake Forest, Salvi said, "At this point, I don't anticipate they have any responsibility."

"Any time there is a defective product, there is a chain of responsibility," Salvi said. "If someone does not have responsibility for the defect, I don't include them."

ConAgra manufactures peanut butter for those two brands. Peter Pan is distributed generally; Great Value is a store brand of Wal-Mart and Super Wal-Mart.

Baldwin is survived by his wife, five children, 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In 1966 he had assumed control of the George Baldwin Plastering Co., which his late father had founded in 1923, operating that until he retired in 1984.

He was a graduate of Lake Forest High School and a veteran of the Korean War. He was active with St. Mary's Church, the American Legion and the Elks.

His remains were buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Lake Forest on Feb. 9.

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