
Pistachios in your pantry? What health experts say you should do amid a salmonella recall
Four brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products have been recalled over the past several weeks by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency because of a possible salmonella contamination.
That includes Habibi brand pistachio kernels, Al Mokhtar Food Centre pistachios, Dubai brand milk chocolate bars and Andalos brand baklava.
View image in full screen
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall notice for some Andalos brand baklava pastries containing pistachios, distributed in New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and sold online. Canadian Food Inspection Agency
The Public Health Agency of Canada says 52 have been sickened and 10 landed in hospital after eating contaminated pistachios and baked goods containing the nut.
Story continues below advertisement
That's only a fraction of the illnesses, as many go unreported, they said.
The front of a bar of Dubai-brand pistachio and knafeh chocolate that has been recalled due to salmonella contamination. Canadian Food Inspection Agency
It isn't always easy to know what brand of pistachios are on top of a dessert or chopped on a salad, said April Hexemer, the public health agency's director of outbreak management.
Get weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'Some of the products that people consumed are baked goods that have pistachios sort of sprinkled on top. You wouldn't know what brand of pistachio that would be. But it's all part of the investigation,' she said.
So far they've recalled baklava pastries containing pistachios served at a bakery in Montreal, and Dubai chocolate oozing with pistachio cream and crunchy knafeh pastry pieces, sold online across Canada.
'There could be other products identified. It's too soon to know.'
Tweet This
Click to share quote on Twitter: "There could be other products identified. It's too soon to know."
Story continues below advertisement
She said at this point in time there is no indication that's the case.
0:43
Health Canada recalls pistachio products following reports of salmonella
While the recalls are only for specific brands of pistachios, Lawrence Goodridge, a professor and Canada Research Chair in foodborne pathogen dynamics at the University of Guelph, said it's safer to ditch all pistachios.
'My advice is, do not consume any products that contain pistachios for the next little while until the outbreak is declared over by PHAC,' he said.
That doesn't mean pistachios across the board are contaminated, but Goodridge said, 'How is somebody supposed to know where those pistachios came from?'
Hexemer said if you aren't sure whether bulk pistachios stored in a pantry are affected, reach out to the place where they were purchased.
Story continues below advertisement
She also said commercial kitchens should check the product codes and compare them to the recall warnings.
'The key message is to throw out the recalled product and not to eat it, use it, serve it, sell it, or distribute it,' she said.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says a salmonella infection can affect anyone exposed to a contaminated food product, and says not to cook food for other people if you've been diagnosed.
Salmonella can spread from an infected person who has diarrhea, for instance through unwashed hands.
It can also spread several days or weeks after a person is infected, even if they don't have symptoms, according to the public health notice.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
Pistachios in your pantry? What health experts say you should do amid a salmonella recall
Pistachios have been the subject of a series of recalls linked to a salmonella outbreak, and while some health officials say that doesn't mean people should avoid all pistachio products, others say toss the nut. Four brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products have been recalled over the past several weeks by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency because of a possible salmonella contamination. That includes Habibi brand pistachio kernels, Al Mokhtar Food Centre pistachios, Dubai brand milk chocolate bars and Andalos brand baklava. View image in full screen The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall notice for some Andalos brand baklava pastries containing pistachios, distributed in New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and sold online. Canadian Food Inspection Agency The Public Health Agency of Canada says 52 have been sickened and 10 landed in hospital after eating contaminated pistachios and baked goods containing the nut. Story continues below advertisement That's only a fraction of the illnesses, as many go unreported, they said. The front of a bar of Dubai-brand pistachio and knafeh chocolate that has been recalled due to salmonella contamination. Canadian Food Inspection Agency It isn't always easy to know what brand of pistachios are on top of a dessert or chopped on a salad, said April Hexemer, the public health agency's director of outbreak management. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Some of the products that people consumed are baked goods that have pistachios sort of sprinkled on top. You wouldn't know what brand of pistachio that would be. But it's all part of the investigation,' she said. So far they've recalled baklava pastries containing pistachios served at a bakery in Montreal, and Dubai chocolate oozing with pistachio cream and crunchy knafeh pastry pieces, sold online across Canada. 'There could be other products identified. It's too soon to know.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There could be other products identified. It's too soon to know." Story continues below advertisement She said at this point in time there is no indication that's the case. 0:43 Health Canada recalls pistachio products following reports of salmonella While the recalls are only for specific brands of pistachios, Lawrence Goodridge, a professor and Canada Research Chair in foodborne pathogen dynamics at the University of Guelph, said it's safer to ditch all pistachios. 'My advice is, do not consume any products that contain pistachios for the next little while until the outbreak is declared over by PHAC,' he said. That doesn't mean pistachios across the board are contaminated, but Goodridge said, 'How is somebody supposed to know where those pistachios came from?' Hexemer said if you aren't sure whether bulk pistachios stored in a pantry are affected, reach out to the place where they were purchased. Story continues below advertisement She also said commercial kitchens should check the product codes and compare them to the recall warnings. 'The key message is to throw out the recalled product and not to eat it, use it, serve it, sell it, or distribute it,' she said. The Public Health Agency of Canada says a salmonella infection can affect anyone exposed to a contaminated food product, and says not to cook food for other people if you've been diagnosed. Salmonella can spread from an infected person who has diarrhea, for instance through unwashed hands. It can also spread several days or weeks after a person is infected, even if they don't have symptoms, according to the public health notice.


CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Pistachios in your pantry? What experts say you should do amid a salmonella recall
Pistachio nuts are displayed at a grocery store in Mississauga, Ont., on Monday, December 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — Pistachios have been the subject of a series of recalls linked to a salmonella outbreak, and while some health officials say that doesn't mean people should avoid all pistachio products, others say toss the nut. Four brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products have been recalled over the past several weeks by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency because of a possible salmonella contamination. That includes Habibi brand pistachio kernels, Al Mokhtar Food Centre pistachios, Dubai brand milk chocolate bars and Andalos brand baklava. The Public Health Agency of Canada says 52 have been sickened and 10 landed in hospital after eating contaminated pistachios and baked goods containing the nut. That's only a fraction of the illnesses, as many go unreported, they said. It isn't always easy to know what brand of pistachios are on top of a dessert or chopped on a salad, said April Hexemer, the public health agency's director of outbreak management. 'Some of the products that people consumed are baked goods that have pistachios sort of sprinkled on top. You wouldn't know what brand of pistachio that would be. But it's all part of the investigation,' she said. So far they've recalled baklava pastries containing pistachios served at a bakery in Montreal, and Dubai chocolate oozing with pistachio cream and crunchy knafeh pastry pieces, sold online across Canada. 'There could be other products identified. It's too soon to know.' She said at this point in time there is no indication that's the case. While the recalls are only for specific brands of pistachios, Lawrence Goodridge, a professor and Canada Research Chair in foodborne pathogen dynamics at the University of Guelph, said it's safer to ditch all pistachios. 'My advice is, do not consume any products that contain pistachios for the next little while until the outbreak is declared over by PHAC,' he said. That doesn't mean pistachios across the board are contaminated, but Goodridge said, 'How is somebody supposed to know where those pistachios came from?' Hexemer said if you aren't sure whether bulk pistachios stored in a pantry are affected, reach out to the place where they were purchased. She also said commercial kitchens should check the product codes and compare them to the recall warnings. 'The key message is to throw out the recalled product and not to eat it, use it, serve it, sell it, or distribute it,' she said. The Public Health Agency of Canada says a salmonella infection can affect anyone exposed to a contaminated food product, and says not to cook food for other people if you've been diagnosed. Salmonella can spread from an infected person who has diarrhea, for instance through unwashed hands. It can also spread several days or weeks after a person is infected, even if they don't have symptoms, according to the public health notice. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content. Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press

3 days ago
Baklava containing pistachios recalled over salmonella risk
Headlines Latest News Podcasts (new window) Alert triggered by investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak People are advised not to consume, use, sell, serve, or distribute the recalled baklava products. Photo: Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments/Canadian Food Inspection Agency The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall notice for some Andalos brand pastries distributed in New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and sold online. Most of the recalled products (new window) were sold at a bakery in Montreal and served to customers between June 25 and July 26. Pistachios have been the subject of several related recalls over the last two weeks, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the latest alert was triggered by its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. On Tuesday, the Public Health Agency of Canada said 52 people in Quebec, Ontario, B.C. and Manitoba got sick and nine landed in hospital (new window) after eating contaminated pistachios and baked goods containing the nut. The health agency told The Canadian Press Wednesday that it expects more salmonella cases linked to this outbreak to be reported in the coming months. Salmonella is a food-borne bacterial illness that may cause fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, cramps and diarrhea. It can result in severe and potentially deadly infections, particularly for children, pregnant people, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. With files from CBC News Beginning of list of 13 items. Skip list? Friday, August 8 Thursday, August 7 Wednesday, August 6 End of list of 13 items. Back to beginning of list? The mRNA vaccine technology has been tested for its potential to treat various cancers and other diseases 26 minutes ago Vaccination June numbers surprised economists with robust employment gains 'I just don't really want to support them right now': Canadian traveller Conservative leader says his Canadian Sovereignty Act would unleash energy economy 19 hours ago Federal Politics Fares Alghoul says he's ready to report from the ground if Israel lets foreign media in 20 hours ago Armed Conflicts