US: Chattanooga launches MoonPie peanut butter

Chattanooga Bakery, maker of the MoonPie marshmallow sandwich, has launched MoonPie Peanut Butter, its first product launch in decades.

The product touts a "creamy peanut butter filling, a crunchier, chocolate-flavoured cookie and a chocolaty coating on the outside", the US firm said today (26 January).

"We're really excited to be launching some truly new and different items under the proven MoonPie trademark," said Tory Johnston, vice president of marketing. "For over 90 years, we've stayed true to our original design - soft cookies with marshmallow filling. After extensive research, consumers seemed excited to try new items from us - peanut butter is first, and there are several other new ideas in R&D now."

With reference to the ongoing peanut butter salmonella scare in the US, Chattanooga said it wants to reassure its consumers that the product is safe.

Johnston said: "The salmonella contamination is limited to a select few industry players, and does not include the supplier of the peanut butter used in our new item. We have an ongoing and aggressive quality assurance program that prevents any contamination concerns."

Some 491 people in 43 US states and one person in Canada have fallen ill following the salmonella outbreak.

Seven deaths have also been linked to the outbreak, which has been traced back to a plant in Georgia owned by PCA.

Over 125 products have been recalled in the US peanut butter salmonella food scare, with goods ranging from crackers to ice cream.

PCA has supplied over 70 companies and the likes of food manufacturers General Mills and Ralcorp Holdings and retailers Kroger and Safeway have recalled products made with ingredients from the firm.