The salmonella outbreak associated with peanut butter products has everyone freaked out. Federal health officials reported at least 500 people, 280 of those younger than 18, have been sickened by the Salmonella Typhimurium bacterium traced to peanut butter and other products from a single production plant in Georgia.

Although the plant’s products were not sold at retail, they were sold in industrial-sized cans of peanut butter used by schools and in peanut paste used to make products such as brownies, cookies, cakes, crackers, icecream, even pet food. More than 180 products have been recalled, including those made by Starbucks, General Mills Inc, Kellogg Co and others.

The FDA has compiled a list of tainted products and even has a search feature. Check it out at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm#PeanutButter

The outbreak, begun in September, is waning. Salmonella, which causes diarrhea, vomiting and fever, usually clears up without treatment, but is most dangerous for the elderly, very young and immune-compromised.  If you’re worried about  a product you’ve purchased, the best advice in circumstances like these: “If in doubt, throw it out.”

It’s that time of year again. Droves of otherwise intelligent people leave their senses and set their hopes on the likes of cabbage soup, maple syrup lemonade, and other fad diets and popular eating plans to get slim.  But let me introduce one lady who’s actually going to succeed in her quest to shed pounds and shape up.  It’s Aury Wallington, and she is Shape magazine’s 2009 “Weight-Loss Diary” aspirant.

Every year Shape chooses one lucky lady who wants to slim down, shape up, and get healthy.  With the help of a nutritionist, a personal trainer, and a life coach, this year’s challenger Aury will not only learn how to make the right food and activity choices, but more importantly how to incorporate them into her busy lifestyle.  Her progress is featured each month in the magazine, and she blogs weekly about her own journey, its lessons, challenges, and successes.  She is a true inspiration to dieters everywhere.

Check out her blog at shape.com/weightlossdiary