FDA Expands Pistachio Recall

On Wednesday, April 9, U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced additional pistachio recalls due to Salmonella contamination.

Setton Farms Inc., located in Terra Bella, Calif., expanded its voluntary recall of pistachios to include all roasted shelled and in-shell pistachios produced from nuts harvested in 2008. The company initially recalled only certain lots of pistachios, but information from a joint FDA and California Department of Public Health inspection suggested that cross-contamination may have occurred. The store has since stopped all distribution of processed pistachios.

The FDA advises that food service establishments not sell or serve pistachios until the source of the pistachios can be determined. The expanded recall will most likely result in additional recalls, as many food products that contain pistachios are affected. A searchable database of recalled pistachio products is available at http://www.fda.gov/pistachios/ and will be updated as information becomes available.

The initial problem was discovered on March 24, when Kraft Foods informed the FDA that its Back To Nature Trail Mix was contaminated with Salmonella. Kraft identified Setton Farms as the source of the pistachios and conducted a recall.

AUTHOR: Annette Hulbert