Follow-up on pistachio products with suspected Salmonella contamination (with table)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), in following up on the import of pistachios from Settons Farms, USA by a local distributor earlier, has learnt that one of the retailers who bought the affected products from the distributor has sold them to other retailers.
The US authorities said Setton Farms recently conducted a voluntary recall in the country of its pistachio products suspected of Salmonella contamination.
"According to information from the retailer, Chung Luen Co., it has sold 384 boxes (25 pounds each) of pistachios to six retailers (see annex for details). These six retailers have already stopped selling the concerned products," a CFS spokesman said today (April 7).
"We appeal to the trade to stop selling the pistachios that were purchased from the retailers concerned. If consumers are in possession of any of the pistachios bought from these retailers, they should not consume them. They should dispose of them and thoroughly wash their hands afterwards.
"If people have doubts about the pistachios they have purchased, they should not consume them. They should ask the retailers concerned for the source of the products.
"The CFS has been in close contact with the US authorities in regard to the Salmonella contamination incident in the country and is contacting them for further updates. We have collected 19 samples of pistachios and related products for testing of Salmonella and all the results are satisfactory," the spokesman added.
Consumers and the trade can obtain the latest information of the recalled pistachio products from the US Food and Drug Administration website at www.fda.gov/pistachios .
Salmonella is a pathogen that may cause food poisoning. The symptoms include nausea, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. The symptoms are more severe in infants and the elderly.
"The CFS will continue to closely monitor the situation," the spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Retailers that have purchased Setton Farms pistachios from Chung Luen Co.
