The number of pistachios and pistachio-containing products recalled across Canada due to potential salmonella risk continues to rise, with more than 80 being flagged in the past week-and-a-half alone.
Between Nov. 12 and Nov. 24, a total of 84 products were recalled ranging from roasted salted pistachios and raw kernels to pistachio eclairs and baklava.
The various products were sold at stores in seven provinces: B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, though some were also sold online.
The recalls are a part of an ongoing food safety investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that started with the Habibi brand of pistachio kernel on July 24.
The CFIA confirmed to Global News on Tuesday that the pistachios involved in the current recalls were imported from Iran, though did not say if it was from a specific crop.
The agency says additional secondary recalls have since been issued for various products made using the recalled pistachios and due to additional inspection activities that supported the investigation.
At the end of September, as a result of its investigation, the CFIA announced it would implement a temporary restriction of imports of pistachios and pistachio-containing products from Iran as a precautionary measure.
All importers of the products must also show proof the products don’t originate from Iran to be accepted and if they cannot, the products could be refused entry or subjected to a “hold and test” for salmonella.
Lawrence Goodridge, professor of food safety at the University of Guelph, told Global News that while an initial product could be traced, what may have led to so many recalls could be due to pistachios being sold in bulk.
“The problem is, and why this is continuing to have different recalls, is that the pistachios can also be sold in bulk,” he said. “So you don’t know where that came from … it’s very hard to recall that because who knows where that came from. It’s not labeled, it’s not in packages.”
He added given the long shelf life of pistachios, Canadians could also have the nut in their home or business that was purchased some time ago, but is still circulating.
Among some of the recent recalls were pistachios that were sold in October 2024.
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The CFIA notes its investigation has involved sampling and testing at various stages along the supply chain and is working with the industry to ensure the recalled products have been removed.
“Pistachios have a long shelf life and may remain on the market for many months,” the CFIA says in its investigation notice. “If additional products on the Canadian market are determined to be affected, the CFIA will publish recall information on the Recalls and Safety Alerts website and issue food recall warnings when required.”
Pistachios have increased in popularity in recent months, from Dubai-style chocolate bars to various pastries.
An estimate from Cognitive Market Research earlier this year suggests revenue from sales in Canada is projected to exceed $500 million in 2025.
While the 84 products recalled was one of the highest number of products listed in a single notice, 68 separate recalls have been issued since July.
At least 130 products have been listed in recalls this month alone.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is leading its own investigation into a salmonella-infection outbreak linked to pistachios and pistachio-containing products, which it says has left 117 people ill.
The notice says people became sick between March and late September 2025, with many reporting becoming sick from either eating either pistachios or products containing them.
Goodridge says given the ongoing outbreak, people may be better served to avoid the product for the time being.
“It’s safe to say as long as you know where the pistachios are coming from and as long as they didn’t come from Iran, go ahead and purchase them,” he said. “I think in practicality, the best advice is really until this outbreak is over, people should avoid consuming pistachios.
Yet with a number of businesses selling products containing the nut and restaurants that may have used it in their baked goods, Goodridge says Canadians should not rule out dining or purchasing a product just because they were named in a recall.
“The other thing to consider is that the vendor may not know where they came from either,” he said. “If people are going to, if they’re ordering something, I think it’s fair for them to ask whether there’s pistachios in the product and, if so, if the restaurant knows where the pistachio came from, and then they have a decision to make about whether they would consume or order that product and consume or not.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
