Death by Peanut Butter?

The family of Roberta Barkay alleges it was a peanut butter spread that killed her and sickened her husband and daughter.

A family of a woman who allegedly died after eating salmonella-tainted peanut butter filed a negligence and wrongful-death lawsuit against ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG).

Roberta Barkay, 76, had been hospitalized with gastrointestinal problems, then developed a bacterial infection before she died Jan. 30, said her lawyer, Rob Peirce.

The family of Roberta Barkay alleges it was a peanut butter spread that killed her and sickened her husband and daughter.

Roberta Barkay was not tested for salmonella, but Peirce said the peanut butter the family ate was part of the batch ConAgra recalled last week. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

No deaths have been confirmed in the salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter produced by ConAgra Foods.

ConAgra announced last Wednesday that it would recall all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter made at its Sylvester, Ga., plant.

Federal officials have linked the peanut butter to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people nationwide since August. No deaths have been reported.

Across the country, at least four other lawsuits claim negligence by the company led to the salmonella illnesses.

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