Pistachio recall could hurt local industry
| Tuesday, Mar 31 2009 05:43 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Mar 31 2009 10:21 PM
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There was a whole lot of pistachio shaking going on at Paramount Farms' fields near McKittrick on Thursday.
Staff and wire reports
Kern County health officials Tuesday asked local food retailers to stop selling pistachios due to an ongoing federal investigation into salmonella contamination.
"At this point, it's a recommendation from us because it's unclear" how extensive the contamination could be, said Kern County Environmental Health Director Matt Constantine. "But there's enough concern, especially coming on the heels of the peanut butter issue, that we have to be prepared and ready."
Constantine said his office received at least three calls Tuesday from people who said they became ill after eating pistachios. His office has not been able to confirm a connection to the contaminated nuts yet.
Federal officials Monday issued a blanket warning against eating pistachios after several strains of the bacteria were found in shipments traced to a Tulare County processing facility. So far, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc., the nation's second-largest pistachio processor, has recalled more than 2 million pounds of pistachios shipped since last fall. Most were shipped in bulk for further repackaging.
Federal officials have not confirmed any illnesses related to the contamination yet but said it is investigating two reports.
"Our advice to consumers is that they avoid eating pistachio products, and that they hold onto those products," said Dr. David Acheson, assistant commissioner for food safety. "The number of products that are going to be recalled over the coming days will grow, simply because these pistachio nuts have then been repackaged into consumer-level containers."
On Tuesday, Setton International Foods Inc. said it does not believe pistachios were contaminated by a human or animal source in its plant. The company suspects roasted pistachios may have become mixed with raw nuts that could have contained traces of the bacteria.
The FDA learned about the problem last Tuesday, when Kraft Foods Inc. notified the agency that routine product testing had detected salmonella in roasted pistachios. Kraft and the Georgia Nut Co. recalled their Back to Nature Nantucket Blend trail mix the next day.
Salmonella, the most common cause of food-borne illness, causes diarrhea, fever and cramping. Most people recover, but the infection can be life-threatening for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
The recalled nuts are a small fraction of the 55 million pounds of pistachios Setton's plant processed last year and an even smaller portion of the 278 million pounds produced in the state in the 2008 season, according to the Fresno-based Administrative Committee for Pistachios.
California is the second-largest producer of pistachios in the world.
The impact of the FDA's blanket warning on local pistachios growers is not yet known, but some are worried.
In 2007, pistachios were the sixth-leading agricultural commodity produced in Kern County with a gross value of $274 million, according to Kern County Agricultural Commissioner Ruben Arroyo.
Unlike tomatoes or other perishable produce that have been recalled in the past, Arroyo said, pistachios can be stored for a period of time.
"But with the economy we have now, any bad press on a commodity is going to affect (the pistachio industry) negatively," he said.
Paramount Farms, a large pistachio producer with growing operations in Kern, said Tuesday it's testing each batch of pistachios it ships as a precautionary measure.
The company's product is not part of the recall.
