DeFranco and Sons of Los Angeles, CA, is voluntarily recalling bulk and consumer-packaged in-shell, hazelnut and mixed nut products containing hazelnuts because they may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria (E. coli O157:H7). The recall was initiated after the nut products were linked to seven illnesses in the states of MI, MN, and WI. To date, no E. coli 0157:H7 has been detected in the nut products.
DeFranco and Sons received the in-shell nuts from suppliers or growers and subsequently distributed the nuts nationwide and to Canada. The affected nuts listed below were distributed between 11/2/10 and 12/22/10. The 50 lb bags of in-shell hazelnuts or mixed nuts with hazelnuts may have been repacked or sold in bulk containers to consumers.
Unilever United States, Inc., is also conducting "a limited recall of Skippy® Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy® Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread." The product was recalled over concerns that it might be contaminated with Salmonella. The peanut butter was sent to retail stores in these states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.
In addition to the above, there have been two nationwide outbreaks of Salmonella linked to peanut butter in the past four years: the 2007 ConAgra outbreak and the 2009 PCA outbreak. Both outbreaks sickened over 700 people and one outbreak was linked to nine deaths.
In 2009 Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc. announced that it is voluntarily recalling from nationwide distribution specific lots of bulk roasted shelled pistachios and 2,000 lbs., 1,700 lbs., 1,800 lbs. and 1,000 lbs. tote bags of roasted in-shell pistachios sold to wholesale customers due to potential contamination with Salmonella. The recall affected certain bulk roasted in-shell and roasted shelled pistachios shipped on or after September 1, 2008. The bulk product was distributed throughout the United States. The Company is voluntarily taking this precautionary measure after learning that a small amount of roasted shelled pistachios processed by Setton Pistachio and received by a commercial customer in late 2008 recently tested positive for Salmonella.
In addition, the company is voluntarily recalling the following retail product: Setton Farms brand roasted salted shelled pistachios in 9 oz. film bags, UPC Code: 034325020252 with a "Best Before" date between 01/06/10 and 01/19/10. This product was distributed in the following states: SC, GA, FL, NC, VA, TN, KY.
Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection may include abdominal cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Most infected people recover within a week; however, some may develop complications that require hospitalization. Young children and the elderly are at highest risk for a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which includes kidney failure.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.