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Pistachio Salmonella Contamination » Pistachio Product Recall

"Pistachio and Pistachio Containing Product Recall Companies List" (PDF)

The FDA and the California Department of Public Health continue to investigate Salmonella contamination in pistachios and pistachio products. Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., Terra Bella, Calif., is voluntarily expanding its recall of roasted pistachios to include all lots of roasted in-shell pistachios and roasted shelled pistachios that were produced from nuts harvested in 2008. The firm is also recalling those raw shelled pistachios from the 2008 crop that are not subsequently roasted prior to retail sale. The pistachios may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Initially, the firm’s recall was limited to certain lots of roasted pistachios. Information from the joint FDA and California Department of Public Health inspection indicates the presence of Salmonella in critical areas of the facility and the potential for cross-contamination between raw and roasted products. After this information was shared with Setton, the firm decided to expand its recall.

Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, this expanded recall will affect many products and is expected to result in other recalls. The FDA has created a searchable database of recalled products at http://www.fda.gov/pistachios/ and will continue to update the public as its investigation progresses. Consumers should not eat pistachios or food products containing them (such as pistachio bakery goods and pistachio ice cream) until they can determine that the products do not contain pistachios recalled by Setton.

The FDA is advising wholesalers, retailers, and operators of restaurants and food service establishments not to sell or serve any pistachios or pistachio-containing products until the source of the pistachios can be determined. Firms should check with their suppliers to determine whether the source of the pistachios is Setton. If the source is Setton and the products are subject to this recall, then the pistachios and pistachio products should not be sold.

The FDA is helping the pistachio industry address the public health risks associated with Salmonella and to understand appropriate control procedures to prevent contamination. As part of this effort, on April 3, 2009, the FDA issued a letter to pistachio processors in the United States reminding them of their legal responsibility to ensure that the products they are providing are safe for consumption. The FDA intends to examine current pistachio industry practices and issue guidance to the industry that provides additional information on measures to be taken to prevent Salmonella contamination.