Consumers should continue to avoid eating imported peanut products unless they are certain the items have been given the all-clear by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health said yesterday.

Environmental health officers have been working with importers and supermarkets to track down affected products since the FDA launched a massive recall of products from the Peanut Corporation of America's Plainview plant in Texas, following a salmonella outbreak in January.

But the Department of Health said so many products contained peanut that some items may have slipped through the net.

"Consumers themselves should also be on the alert for items that may have gone unnoticed," said a statement.

"There is such a broad range of items that contain peanut products that many smaller parallel food importers may not be aware that their products are included in the recall list."

Shoppers are advised to check the list of recalled items on the FDA website — at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html — and to avoid peanut products such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.

Those unable to go online to check items can call 278-4976 for help and must have the product name, expiry date and batch code available.