The Daily Inter Lake

Officials at Montana's Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that Montana remains free of reported peanut butter-related salmonella cases.

State officials, however, warned people not to eat recalled peanut butter or recalled products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream, that contain peanut butter.

Allison Bishop with the Flathead City-County Health Department said the local agency has received no state directives to check store shelves for recalled items. She said distributors typically remove the products.

"We're watching the information that's developing," she said.

Bishop confirmed that the suspect institutional brand, King Nut peanut butter, is not distributed in Montana. But state officials say some products made with the recalled peanut butter are distributed here.

Bishop said the department posted information from the state on the health alert section of its Web site - www.flatheadhealth.org - with links to the complete list of recalled products.

Salmonella poisoning can cause cramping, diarrhea and fever for as long as seven days.