In a press release issued Friday, Unilever United States, Inc. announced the voluntary recall of Skippy reduced-fat peanut butter spreads - Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread - due to salmonella risks.

According to the Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey-based Unilever, some jars of the Skippy peanut butter spread may contain salmonella, which can cause fatal infections in young children as well as frail or elderly people.

The limited recall is applicable only to the mentioned Skippy-branded products distributed in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

According to a statement issued by Unilever, the products that have been recalled are sold in 16.3-ounce plastic jars; and bear UPC codes of 048001006812 or 048001006782. The ‘best if used by’ dates mentioned on the top of the jars are May 16-21, 2012.

Despite the fact that there have been no illnesses reported in any of these 16 states thus far, Unilever said that it had taken the action after inspectors conducting “routine sampling” found that “finished products may contain the bacteria.”

Unilever has urged the consumers who have already bought the potentially tainted peanut butter jars to discard them; and call up the company at 1-800-453-3432 for a replacement coupon.