The two million pounds of pistachios recalled last week weren't enough. Now that number has doubled. California-based Setton can't rule out the possibility of salmonella in its entire 2008 crop, so it's recalling all roasted pistachios and raw shelled ones. Previously only in-shell roasted ones were recalled. (Got that straight?)
The FDA's Web site keeps adding recalled "pistachio-containing products." When this ordeal was announced last week, only seven products were listed; now it's more than 50.
But pistachio lovers fear not.
The largest grower in the United States, Paramount Farms, and the Western Pistachio Association (WPA) want everyone to know they are not involved in this scare whatsoever. Paramount Farms issued a statement saying it believes its "products are safe.
We have stringent quality control procedures in place, and our products consistently
exceed USDA specifications."
The WPA has set up its own Web site -- PistachioRecall.org -- detailing products that are not recalled and OK to eat. That list includes more than 50 brands including Kirkland, CVS Gold, Sunkist and A&P Growers. So yes, many pistachios are OK to eat, it just involves some homework to figure out which ones.
And not to fuel any conspiracy fires, but California isn't the largest pistachio grower. That would be the country of Iran, where the pistachio exporting business ranks as the third-largest, behind oil and carpets. According to the LA Times, the new administration is using a "high-stakes gambit to improve relations with Iran." Destroying the world's appetite for pistachios (this recall has expanded to more than a dozen countries) would take one card out of Iran's deck.
Do I think that's the case? Not in the slightest. But Tehran might. It wouldn't be the first time they've accused the West of meddling with its nuts.
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Well well well, isn't that interesting. I wouldn't put anything past that little creep in Iran. I do however find it a stretch for Iran to hurt it's own iterests while not really causing that much harm in the grand scheme of things.
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