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Floodgates Open in Pistachio Product Recall

Nearly 20 manufacturers pull items from shelves due to Salmonella

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

April 15, 2009

• FDA Warns Consumers Against California Pistachio Brands • California Produce Company Recalls Pistachios on Salmonella Fears • Floodgates Open in Pistachio Product Recall • More Pistachio Products Recalled • Feds Search Peanut Product Distributor in Salmonella Investigation • Pistachio Recall Continues To Expand • More Pistachio Nut Products Recalled • FDA Investigating Salmonella-Tainted Pistachios • Frito-Lay, Kraft Recall More Foods Containing Pistachios • Kraft Recalls Trail Mix Containing Pistachio Nuts • Georgia Company Says Products May Be Tainted with Salmonella --- • Salmonella: What It Is • More about Food Safety ...

In just the past two days, nearly 20 food manufacturers have pulled products off the market because they contain pistachios from Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc. That California-company recently recalled all of its roasted, shelled and in-shell pistachios from its 2008 crop over fears the nuts could be contaminated with salmonella.

The latest products pulled off stores shelves include granola, ice cream, and mixed nuts.

Federal officials say the number of products recalled could keep growing because Setton Pistachios is the second largest pistachio producer in the country and its nuts are used in scores of products.

Here are some of the latest items recalled in the wake of this salmonella-pistachio scare:

In-Room Plus, Inc.

In-Room Plus, Inc. of Buffalo, NY and In-Room West, Inc. of San Francisco, California. The company has recalled all of its in-shell roasted salted pistachios and pistachio berry granola (energy boost). The company distributed the recalled products to hotels nationwide and in Canada. The FDA has

list of the products included in the recall.

The company has not received any reports of illnesses linked to these products. For more information, visit the company's Web site or call In-Room Plus at (716)838-9433 or In-Room West at (415)826-9627;

House Of Flavors Ice Cream Company

This Michigan company has recalled select flavors of its ice creams made with pistachios. The company sold the recalled ice cream at retail stores and through food service accounts in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The FDA has a list of products included in the recall.

House of Flavors has not received any reports of illnesses linked to these products. Consumers can return the recalled products for a full refund. Those with food service accounts should return the recalled ice cream to their distributor for a full refund. For more information, contact the company at 1-800-930-7740 x 2229;

Hines Nut Company

This Dallas-based company has recalled its roasted and salted Inshell Pistachios. The company sold the nuts in Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas at retail stores, wholesale grocery stores, and wholesale suppliers. The company has not received any reports of illnesses. Consumers can return the products to Hines Nut Company for a full refund. For more information, contact the company at 800-561-6374;

Azar Nut Company

This Texas-based company has recalled its raw shelled pistachios sold under the Azar, Baker's Select, Sysco, and Katy's Kitchen brands. The company said the nuts tested negative for salmonella, but issued the recall as a precaution. This action only includes raw shelled pistachios with date codes from 8280 through 9085. For more information, contact the company's Mary Shanks, vice-president of operations, at 915-877-1139;

Bezzerides Company

This California company has recalled certain batches of its Art's California Pistachios. The recalled items came in 2.0 oz packages with sell by dates between MAY-31-09 and DEC 31-09 and the UPC code of 0 70762 01103 3. The company distributed the products nationwide in grocery and convenience stores. Consumers can return the pistachios to the store for a full refund. For more information, contact the company at (707) 746-0770;

Everson Distributing Company

This Chicopee, Massachusetts, company has recalled certain lots of its Watta Munch Natural Pistachios. The recalled products, which came in clear plastic packages, include: Natural Pistachios, UPC 830140046053, 2.25oz packages, Watta Munch Natural Pistachios, expiration dates between Mar 2009 to Apr 2010; Natural Pistachios, UPC 830140066051, 4.5oz packages, Watta Munch Natural Pistachios, expiration dates between Mar 2009 to Apr 2010. Watta Munch Natural Pistachios are packed for PJ Distributors, LLC, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, and sold in convenience stores and supermarkets in New York and New Jersey. The company has not received any reports of illnesses linked to these products. Consumers can return the products to the store for a full refund. For more information, contact the company at 413-533-9261.

Setton Pistachio announced its massive recall after routine testing by Kraft Food detected salmonella in its Back to Nature Trail Mix. Kraft traced the source of the contamination to pistachios supplied by Setton.

Kraft notified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 24 that the trail mix tested positive for salmonella, and recalled the product the following day.

The company, however, has confirmed it found salmonella in another batch of trail mix more than a year ago, but couldn't identify the source of the contamination until just a few weeks ago.

Kraft said it took thousands of tests to identify the pistachios supplied by Setton Pistachios as the source of the salmonella contamination.

Setton Pistachio's plant is now shut down as the FDA's continues its investigation. The agency has focused its attention on Setton's sister-company in New York as a possible source of the contamination.

That company, Setton International Foods Inc., of Commack, failed its state health inspection last month, according to the Associated Press. New York agriculture officials found live and dead cockroaches and rodent dropping inside that plant, which shares key staff and packages food with Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc.

The FDA said multiple strains of salmonella are involved in this latest outbreak. Salmonella is an organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever, and cramps.

The FDA continues to warn consumers not to eat pistachios or food containing the nuts until it can determine what products contain the tainted pistachios.

To help consumers find "safe" pistachio products, the Western Pistachio Association and the CAL-PURE co-op of California pistachio growers have created a Web site consumers can search for brands that do not contain any Setton Pistachio products.

The FDA also has a Web site consumers can search for pistachio products now under recall.

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