Pistachio Recall Update

By now, most Americans have heard the news that pistachios tainted with Salmonella have been traced to a wholesale processor (Setton Pistachio) in California. Like the recent peanut butter recall (also related to Salmonella contamination), the recall began with a single processing plant that distributed peanut products nationwide.

While hundreds of Americans were sickened by contaminated peanut products over the last several months, there have so far been no reported cases of pistachio-related Salmonella poisoning in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration is acting swiftly to contain the situation before it expands in a manner similar to the recent peanut butter scare, and there is little doubt that the California legislature may act to tighten food safety regulations.

To read how the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is responding to the situation, please click here. The Amherst Health Department will be monitoring this situation closely, and pertinent updates or recall information will be posted promptly on this blog.

Since the manufacturer in question distributes its products nationwide, it is fairly certain that a significant recall process will begin soon. In the meantime, the FDA is recommending that consumers avoid pistachio products until further details come to light, and their newly-created Pistachio Product Recall Website can be found by clicking here. For those consumers who use Twitter, FDA Recalls can be followed by clicking here.

Please visit these sites often, return to this blog, or call the Health Department at 259-3077 for more information.