A salmonella outbreak that started with one brand of Trader Joe's peanut butter has led to more than 100 products being recalled at food retailers in 30 states.

The Food and Drug Administration and Centers For Disease Control discovered last month that consumers were getting sick after eating Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter. After contacting the product's manufacturer, New Mexico's Sunland, the FDA determined that other nut-based products from the same manufacturing line may also have been tainted.

This comes as a bit of a shock to folks who buy organic foods specifically to avoid pesticides, toxins and situations like this. Those shoppers are among those hardest hit this time around, especially after Whole Foods Market (WFM) and Newman's Own Organics joined Trader Joe's in recalling peanut butter products. Meanwhile, organic peanut butter offerings from Fresh & Easy and Heinen's also got the hook for coming from the same sullied supply line. Even major retailers such as Target (TGT), Stop & Shop, Safeway (SWY), Sprouts and Giant Food were placed in a sticky situation by potentially harmful peanut products.

The problem doesn't affect just folks who like an organic PB&J every so often. Newman's Own is pulling peanut butter cookies, Late July Snacks is recalling sandwich crackers, Oregon Ice Cream Co. doesn't trust two brands of peanut butter ice cream, and Jer's Chocolates, Fairytale Brownies and Xan Confections are all taking peanut butter chocolate products off the table. Specialty retailers Harry and David, Gretchen Shoebox Express, Chattanooga Bakery, Justin's and Falcon Trading Company/Sunridge Farms are even removing non-peanut products like almond spread and tahini from the mix.

The products in the expanded recall haven't made anyone ill recently, but 30 people in 19 states were reported ill between June 11 and Sept. 11. No one has died from those illnesses.

How can you check whether your food is affected? First, check the FDA's updated list for the product. Products with a best-used-by date between May 1, 2013, and Sept. 24, 2013, are being recalled. If that doesn't address your concerns, drop the FDA a line at 1-888-SAFE-FOOD.

If you've already dipped into a tainted product, consult your physician. At best, salmonella will give you an uncomfortable case of diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection that will go on for four to seven days without treatment. At worst, severe diarrhea may lead to hospitalization or other dangerous complications that require antibiotics.

This is particularly troublesome for children younger than 5 or older people with compromised immune systems. Though salmonellosis is treatable, the FDA estimates that approximately 400 people die each year from acute cases of it.

More from Top Stocks

• Beer sales bubble in the US
  
• Auto sales strong in September
  
• Activision Blizzard a value for investors