Apr 1, 2009 9:37 am US/Eastern
Feds Checking Pistachios After Salmonella Scare
Reporting
Adam May
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Federal food officials are warning people not to eat any food containing pistachios because of possible contamination by salmonella, in another food scare sure to rattle consumers already upset by the contamination of peanuts with the same bacteria. (File)
Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
The government is urging people to avoid pistachios. This warning comes after two people got sick, possibly from contaminated nuts.
Adam May reports how a voluntary recall could impact a local company.
A salmonella scare has some retailers pulling pistachios from their shelves. The nation's second largest processor has voluntarily recalled more than two million pounds of the nuts and the FDA urges caution.
"We're advising consumers to avoid pistachios while we're working this out," said Dr. David Acheson with the FDA.
Barcelona, based in Baltimore, is one of the region's biggest nut sellers. They get their pistachios from a different producer.
"Because we're unaffected by the recall, we're saying the product is safe. Leave it in place, and that doesn't jive with what the FDA is telling the world," said Tony Tsonis with Barcelona Nuts.
But company president Tsonis understands the FDA's concerns. After all, more than 700 people got sick and nine more died from tainted peanut products last winter. The pistachio scare pales in comparison, but government officials are still investigating.
"We're trying to get out in front of the curve before there's an outbreak or before there's serious problems," Acheson said.
As a result, Barcelona's factory in Baltimore changed up their production lines.
"We're not running any pistachios today. Even though we're not affected by the recall, it will have an impact on the market. Consumers will be concerned about buying the product. It's a shame but that's the reality of what's going on," Tsonis said.
Barcelona's president says they saw peanut sales drop 15% last winter. The tough economy and long winter is also having a negative impact on their sales.
Kraft Foods first detected problems, prompting a recall of their Back to Nature Nantucket Trail Mix.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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