More reminders issued in Canada for products with pistachios related to the Salmonella epidemic
Andalos brand pastry products are sub-taking in Canada because they have been linked to an epidemic of salmonella infections that have made dozens of people.
Some pastry products have been sold under the Andalos brand, but others have been sold without any brand indicated on their packaging. The products are recalled because they contain pistachios, which have been determined as the source of salmonella that makes people sick.
Most pastry products are different types of Baklava, but there are also Kafeh Ashta, Knafeh Nabulseyeh, Qatayef, Znoud El Sett and Cheaibiyet. For a complete list of recalled products and photos of three of the pastries recalled, click here.
The products already under the recall are:
- Habibi brand pistachio core
- Habibi Food Center Brand Pistachio
- Brand Dubai Pistache and Kafeh Chocolate à Milit
As of August 6, there were 52 confirmed patients in the epidemic: 39 in Quebec, nine in Ontario, three in British Columbia and 1 in Mantoba, according to Public Health Canada. Nine of the patients were hospitalized. Patients range from 2 to 89 years. People fell ill between early March and in mid-July.
Many people who have fallen ill have eaten pistachios and products containing pistachios, such as Dubai style chocolate. Salmonella epidemic strains that made people have been found in samples of recalled habibi pistachios.
More recent diseases can continue to be reported because there is a period between the moment when a person falls ill and when the disease is reported to public health officials. This can take more than a month from the moment someone falls ill, sees a doctor, is tested and confirms their results. For this epidemic, the period of declaration of diseases is between 15 and 55 days after the start of the disease, according to the health agency.
The real number of patients in Canada is probably much higher. Many people have light symptoms and do not go to the doctor, so they are not tested. The researchers believe that for each case of Salmonella reported to public health, there are 26 additional cases which are not reported.
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