‘We removed them immediately’: Owner of Fresh Nuts speaks on recent pistachio recall

CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti has more on what people should know about possible salmonella contamination after a recent recall included pistachios

The owner of a north Edmonton nut store shelving recalled pistachios has said they are no longer being sold.

The owner of Fresh Nuts, Farhan Shbet, spoke with CTV Edmonton after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recalled a pistachio product sold at his 132 Avenue location for possible salmonella contamination.

“The food agency called me and asked if I had Akbari pistachios but when I said yes, they told me I had to remove them immediately,” said Shbet.

Akbari pistachios are a long type of Iranian pistachio. Fresh Nuts were selling four flavours including salty, lemon, barbeque and saffron before the recall.

Any pistachios sold between April 8 and Oct. 29 are listed on the recall and may be contaminated.

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Shbet says the salmonella contamination did not originate from his store.

“The pistachios are grown in Iran. The supplier wouldn’t have known about the contamination,” Shbet told reporters on Tuesday. “If salmonella did contaminate the nuts, it would’ve been killed right away.”

Shbet says at his store all the nuts are roasted in an oven at more than 400F before getting put out.

“The heat will kill the salmonella. However, there is still room for people to get sick through cross contamination including if the pistachios had touched any utensils,” said Lawrence Goodridge, professor of food safety at the University of Guelph.

No illnesses have been reported. According to the CFIA, any recalled products should be thrown out or returned.

Fresh Nuts has been operating for four years. The owner says this is the first time something like this has happened.

Since the recall, the store has put out a new kind of pistachio.

“If they are deemed to be safe then there is no reason why customers should not go to the store and buy some pistachios,” Goodridge added.

Anyone feeling sick from eating a recalled product should contact their health-care provider.