In the midst of a nationwide outbreak, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered that all pistachios imported from Iran must be tested for Salmonella.
As of the most recent update from the Public Health Acing of Canada in November, there are 155 laboratory-confirmed salmonella infections in Canada linked to the consumption of pistachios and pistachio-containing products. Of the confirmed cases, patients’ ages range from 1 to 95. Twenty-four people have required hospitalization.
As of Dec. 1, the number of recalled pistachio products because of salmonella contamination has grown to 133, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). A full list of the recalled products can be found on the food recall warning page.
The CFIA imposed a ban on the import of pistachios from Iran on Sept. 27, and now, all federally licensed importers and manufacturers must hold and test for salmonella any pistachios from Iran that were imported prior to that date before they can be sold. This includes any products that were made with pistachios from Iran that are not already recalled, the CFIA said in a news release.
“This will help protect Canadians from illness and provide consumers with greater reassurance that what they are buying is safe,” according to the CFIA.
The CFIA says the measures are part of the conditions that any business with a Safe Food for Canadians license must meet and will stay in place during the ongoing food safety investigation.
“The CFIA will continue to conduct inspection activities to verify compliance,” the CFIA said.
“If all federal requirements are not met, importers and manufacturers could face enforcement actions, such as administrative monetary penalties, licence suspension or cancellation, or prosecution.”
