The federal government sent potentially contaminated peanut products to schools in three states for a free lunch program in 2007.

Officials at the Department of Agriculture said Friday that peanut butter and roasted peanuts processed by the Peanut Corp. of America were sent to schools in California, Minnesota and Idaho.

A salmonella outbreak blamed on the company has sickened at least 575 people in 43 states. At least eight have died. More than 1,300 foods that used ingredients from the company's processing plant in Blakely, Ga., have been recalled. While the outbreak appears to be slowing down, new illnesses are still being reported.