Canada's Pistachio Recall Expands Amid Growing Salmonella Outbreak in Canada

OTTAWA, ON – January 08, 2026 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued another update to a massive and ongoing food recall, adding more pistachio-containing products to a list that now totals 277 items. The nationwide recall stems from a widespread Salmonella outbreak that has been under investigation since July 2025. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the outbreak has so far been linked to 155 laboratory-confirmed cases of illness and resulted in 24 hospitalizations across multiple provinces. No deaths have been reported.

The latest recall expansion, announced today, includes a variety of chocolate bars and confections from the brand Peace by Chocolate, as well as several nut and seed butters from NuttyHero. This development underscores the complexity and reach of the contamination, which has affected a broad range of products sold nationally both in stores and online, prompting urgent warnings for consumers to check their pantries.

What Consumers Need to Know

The CFIA is advising consumers not to consume, use, sell, serve, or distribute any of the recalled products. A consolidated list of all affected items, which includes their names, brands, sizes, and UPCs, is available on the agency's official website. Consumers who have purchased these items are instructed to either discard them or return them to the point of purchase.

Salmonella infection, or salmonellosis, can be a serious illness. Symptoms typically appear 12 to 72 hours after consuming contaminated food and include fever, chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea, and vomiting. While most healthy people recover within a week, the infection can be severe and even life-threatening for vulnerable populations, including young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

Health officials stress that food contaminated with Salmonella may not look, smell, or taste spoiled, making visual inspection an unreliable safety check. In rare cases, the infection can lead to long-term complications such as reactive arthritis, which causes joint pain, eye irritation, and painful urination. Even more severe invasive infections can occur if the bacteria spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, bones, or brain, posing a significant health risk.

The sheer number and variety of recalled products, from raw nuts to chocolates and nut butters, highlight the pervasive nature of the contamination. The inclusion of products like chocolates is particularly concerning, as consumers may not immediately associate them with a pistachio recall. Officials warn that even cooking or baking with contaminated pistachios may not be sufficient to eliminate the bacteria, posing a continued risk.

Tracing the Contamination: A Global Supply Chain Under Scrutiny

This extensive recall has pulled back the curtain on the vulnerabilities inherent in modern global food supply chains. The CFIA's ongoing food safety investigation has traced a significant portion of the contaminated nuts to imports from Iran. In response, the agency took decisive action in late September 2025, implementing a temporary ban on the import of pistachios and pistachio-containing products from the country.

Furthermore, the CFIA has mandated that any Iranian pistachios imported before the ban took effect must be held and tested for Salmonella by federally licensed importers and manufacturers before they can be cleared for sale in Canada. This measure aims to intercept contaminated products before they can reach the market.

The challenge of controlling pathogens like Salmonella in nuts is well-documented. As low-moisture foods, nuts provide an environment where the bacteria can survive for extended periods, sometimes for up to two years. Contamination can occur at multiple points, from environmental sources like soil and dust during harvesting to cross-contamination during processing and packaging.

This incident is not an isolated one. The food industry has grappled with Salmonella in tree nuts for years. A major outbreak in 2009 in the United States involved a recall of millions of pounds of pistachios, while another in 2016 from a different producer also led to illnesses across multiple states. These historical precedents demonstrate that ensuring the safety of nuts requires rigorous and consistent control measures, from good agricultural practices on the farm to pathogen-reduction steps like steam treatment or fumigation during processing.

The Watchdog's Response: How Canada's Food Safety System Works

This outbreak and the subsequent recall serve as a critical test and a public demonstration of Canada's multi-layered food safety system. The CFIA, a science-based regulatory agency, is at the forefront of this effort, working to protect consumers by enforcing federal food laws.

An investigation is typically triggered by various sources, including consumer complaints, company reports, or, as in this case, data from a foodborne illness outbreak investigation led by PHAC. Once a potential hazard is identified, CFIA inspectors are deployed to gather information, inspect facilities, review records, and collect samples for laboratory testing. This work is essential to determine the nature and extent of the contamination.

In partnership with Health Canada, which provides scientific health risk assessments, the CFIA determines the appropriate course of action. If a recall is necessary, the agency works with the responsible company to ensure the product is removed from the marketplace efficiently and effectively. The CFIA oversees this process and issues public warnings to inform Canadians of the risk. With approximately 306 recalls managed annually, this system is a cornerstone of public health protection.

The current pistachio recall showcases this process in action on a large scale. The CFIA's decisive measures, including the import ban and mandatory testing, reflect a risk-based approach designed to focus resources where the threat is greatest. The ongoing updates and expansion of the recall list demonstrate the agency's commitment to a thorough investigation, even when it reveals an increasingly complex and far-reaching problem. This diligent work, though disruptive, is vital for maintaining public trust and safeguarding the nation's food supply from invisible threats.