Pistachio salmonella scare: Shoppers find safety in sacred foods

April 1, 1:50 AMSan Diego Food ExaminerAlice Louise Karow

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Terra Bella, Inc.’s Setton Farms, a central California pistachio grower and supplier of nuts, dried fruits, chocolates and candy has been identified as a source of salmonella contaminated pistachios. According to the New York Times, Kraft Foods, one of Setton Farms’ customers, discovered salmonella during a routine product analysis. Kraft inspectors also visited the Setton Farms California facility where they noted that roasted pistachios were not kept separate from raw pistachios, which may have allowed cross contamination from raw to cooked nuts..

The FDA states in its March 30, 2009 press release that although it has received complaints of illness that may be related to pistachios, the strains of salmonella found in pistachio products have not been linked to an outbreak. Until further testing is complete, the FDA warns consumers to avoid products containing pistachios as a precaution. Note also that this new recall is not related to the recent peanut recall.

Salmonella is a family of bacteria that includes over 2,300 types of one-celled organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye that live in the intestines of humans and animals including birds and reptiles. Salmonella usually infects humans, causing diarrhea, because they’ve eaten foods contaminated with feces of infected animals or humans. Government regulations require food safety practices by all food handlers throughout the processing and distribution chain from food packing plants to restaurants and markets.

Since we all buy a certain amount of prepared and processed food products, many people are turning to certified Kosher and Halal foods. According to the March, 2009 issue of Specialty Food Magazine, the so-called sacred foods sector of the food market is booming, second only to organic foods in increased sales in recent years. Many people beyond the Jewish and Muslim religious groups are buying. This is in part because of the perceived quality and hygiene involved in the preparation of these foods which are regulated by religious standards more rigorous than government standards.

Vegans and people with food allergies can buy with confidence because, for instance, “dairy-free” and “gluten-free” provisions are prominently listed on labels and strictly enforced in processing certified Kosher and Halal foods. Sacred foods producers are also keeping up with the times by bringing in more sophisticated and healthy foods like elk and bison meat, greater selections of Kosher wines and gluten-free products.

Conventional food manufacturers are on board, too. Around Passover, when corn products are forbidden, some Coca-Cola bottlers are releasing sodas made with cane sugar (which is the standard year around for Coca-Cola bottled in Mexico) instead of high fructose corn syrup. Many people avoid high fructose corn syrup for health reasons and also prefer the taste of the cane sugar version.