CFIA updates pistachio recall to include more than 200 products nationwide

Pistachio nuts on display in western Tehran, Iran. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Ebrahim Noroozi

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has expanded its national recall for several pistachio and pistachio-containing products due to salmonella.

The recall update published on Dec. 12, now includes 241 products from various brands that have been recalled across multiple provinces including Ontario, Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

The products have also been sold online, the recall alert added.

• Here’s why salmonella-contaminated pistachios continue to plague Canadians

“Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick,” officials wrote.

Recall warnings connected to the pistachio and pistachio-containing products had originally been published starting last July, and have been updated regularly to include more items as the CFIA’s food safety investigation progressed, the notice said.

Since March, 155 cases of salmonella have been reported, of which, 24 people were hospitalized.

Earlier, the CFIA said there have been more than 160 recalls linked to pistachios that were imported from Iran.

• CFIA orders testing of pistachios as salmonella outbreak grows

On Dec. 2, the Public Health Agency of Canada released a notice regarding the investigation into the salmonella outbreak connected to pistachios and pistachio-containing products.

Public health officials warned customers to steer clear of any recalled pistachios and pistachio-containing products, especially the ones imported from Iran, and not consume, sell, use, serve or distribute them.

“People who are infected with salmonella bacteria can spread Salmonella to other people several days to several weeks after they have become infected, even if they don’t have symptoms,” they wrote.

• CFIA urges Canadians to check cupboards as pistachio recall widens

According to the notice, the recalled products should be disposed of or returned to the place of purchase.

If the recalled products are consumed, the health agency advises customers to contact their health-care provider for treatment.

“Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections,” the recall alert said. “Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.”