Pistachio Recall Widens

Terra Bella, CAWhen the pistachio recall first rolled out on March 24th there were no reports of any illnesses. That may not be the case now, after pistachio nuts from Setton Pistachio are being investigated and a food recall is expanding.

This latest recall—which was voluntary on the part of Setton Pistachio—first came to light a little more than a week ago when Georgia Nut Co., a supplier to Kraft Foods, revealed that testing done on pistachios it had sourced from Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, California had presented salmonella.

Kraft Foods immediately alerted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it had found contamination in its Back to Nature Trail Mix and sent auditors to Setton. It has been reported that the Kraft auditors were satisfied that they had found the source of the contamination at Setton Pistachio.

"Our auditors observed situations where raw and roasted pistachios were not properly segregated, and that could explain the sporadic contamination discovered," Kraft spokeswoman Laurie Guzzinati told Supermarket News, in a report.

Kroger Co. was one of the first off the recall mark last week when it recalled a collection of its Private Selection Shelled Pistachios. Whole Foods Market, of Austin, Texas also pulled the trigger on a variety of its 365 Everyday Value in-shell dry roasted and salted pistachios.

Kar Nut Products Co., John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Back to Nature Foods Co. and Frito-Lay also stepped up to the plate last week and called back a number of its products out of concern for consumer health.

While no illnesses have yet to be conclusively linked to the consumption of pistachios, the FDA has advised that there have been illnesses reported that COULD be linked to pistachios, and investigation is underway to prove, or disprove that possibility.

The voluntary recall by Setton Pistachio involves about a million pounds of bulk roasted-in-shell and roasted shelled pistachios shipped on or after September 1st of last year.

The FDA is conducting genetic tests to determine a potential link between various illnesses suffered on the part of consumers with samples of pistachios containing multiple strains of salmonella.

If you have fallen ill after eating pistachio nuts that may have been subject to a pistachio recall, check with a legal professional. A food recall is a sure sign that something isn't right. If you wind up in hospital and face substantial medical bills in the process, you may succeed in winning some compensation.