Tag Archives: Nuts

Nuts to you again: American Gourmet Pistachios recalled for Salmonella

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American Gourmet of Vista, CA is recalling American Gourmet Roasted/Salted Pistachios because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

salm.pistachio.16American Gourmet was informed by its Pistachio supplier to initiate a voluntary recall. 

The products, which were distributed in San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties in the state of California through retail stores and can only be identified by Best by Dates found on the lower bottom panel of the package.

Name: Roasted and Salted Pistachios  

Size:    2.5 oz  4 oz     7.5 oz

Best By:          11.5.2016 through 1.13.2017           11.5.2016 through 1.13.2017           11.5.2016 through 1.13.2017

UPC Code:    1578600108    1578600135    1578600123

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Recall creep demonstrates system issues

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When folks try to limit recall size and scope without good traceability and sanitation clean breaks they usually aren’t successful. One recall announcement turns quickly into multiple and leads to larger questions about overall systems.

Last year, during the Blue Bell’s outbreak response and recall Marler and I both highlighted the issue of recall creep:

“Maybe the cleaning and sanitation program that Blue Bell was using wasn’t adequate. As more samples came back … it highlights that this problem was larger than they originally thought.”

“Limiting the recall might seem like a good idea. But then if you keep expanding your recall, it’s a death by a thousand cuts. You look like you’re dragging your feet.”

Traceability, sanitation, product lots, suppliers, ingredients. All this stuff, if not managed well, especially as investigators start asking for documentation, leads to recall expansion.

Here’s today’s recall creep example, care of Texas Star Nut & Food Company:

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The above listed products, were distributed to Retailers nationwide. These products were sold between 8/13/2015 and 2/24/2016.

The company has ceased the distribution of all of the above products containing pistachio kernels. The recall was as a result of a routine, random sampling program conducted by a FDA third party contracted lab which revealed that the Nature’s Eats Natural Pistachio Kernels product contained Salmonella.

Consumers who have purchased any of the above listed products and best by dates are urged to discontinue consuming the potentially affected product and may return product to the retail location for a refund. Consumers with concerns or questions should contact the company at 1-844-571-5555 from 8:30am to 5:30 pm Central Standard Time.

The great hazelnut/Salmonella caper part deux

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A lot of a risk manager’s job is just paying attention to what’s going on. Food safety types at a company that buys food and resells it (a grocery store, food service operator, wholesaler) or uses food ingredients, should be constantly scanning the news and literature for what risks suppliers are encountering. They might look for stuff like whether the vendor’s industry is dealing with increased focus from regulators or if similar inputs are being recalled or linked to illnesses.hazelnut

Paying attention is the first step, but making decisions to switch suppliers or increase standards is how food gets safer. For this to work though, information needs to be publicly shared. When a regulator finds a problem with a supplier but doesn’t name the source, hiding behind privacy rules, they are doing a disservice to public health. Pretty hard for a buyer to proactively switch away from a supplier who is having Salmonella issues if they don’t know who has problems and who doesn’t.

And so expands the recall as CFIA’s investigation reveals that an unnamed nut seller’s bulk nuts have been spread across Quebec.

The public warning issued on May 16, 2013 has been updated to include additional product and distribution information.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain in shell hazelnuts or mixed nuts in shell described below because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The following products (list can be found here -ben) were sold in packages of various weights or in bulk at the locations indicated below.  Consumers who are unsure if they have affected product are advised to check with their retailer.

These recalls are part of an on-going food safety investigation associated with a recall of bulk hazelnuts from USA. The CFIA is working with the recalling firms and distributors to identify all affected products.

The importer, distributers, and retailers are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace.  The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

If I was a nut buyer, I’d want to know who the Salmonella-linked importers and distributors are.

The great hazelnut/Salmonella caper

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Nuts seem to have lots of Salmonella issues. The pathogen persists nicely in the low-moisture environment and the roasting process (which is done without water) makes the bug even more hardy. Peanut butter has had well-documented problems; so have pistachios and walnuts. But why all the hazelnut focus in Canada? Over the past 6 months, Canada’s esteemed food police, CFIA, lists five Salmonella-linked health alerts linked to hazelnuts (also known as filberts) including one announced yesterday.Blanched Filberts

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain in shell hazelnuts described below because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Products were sold in packages of various weights or in bulk at the locations indicated here. Consumers who are unsure if they have affected product are advised to check with their retailer (listed as Luciano foods, Il Negozio Nicastro and the aptly-named Cananut -ben).

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
These recalls are part of an on-going food safety investigation associated with a recall of bulk hazelnuts from USA. The CFIA is working with the recalling firms and distributors to identify all affected products.

The importer, distributers (sic), and retailers are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

Other recalls occurred on December 2, 2012; December 5, 2012; April 4, 2013; and, April 10, 2013. A couple of these list the origin of the product as the U.S., a couple don’t. If I was in the nut-selling business I’d probably like to know if they are all coming from the same source (and who the importer is). Although the industry doesn’t always like to share that stuff.