Wonderful Pistachios, Sold Under Various Brand Names Including Trader Joes, Recalled Following Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak

California-based Wonderful Pistachios has issued a voluntary recall of a selection of pistachios after the products were linked to a multi-state salmonella outbreak that has sickened 11 people and left two others hospitalized.

Salmonella is particularly dangerous and sometimes fatal for young children and the elderly. Healthy persons infected with salmonella can experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare cases, salmonella can also lead to arterial infections such as infected aneurysms, endocarditis, and arthritis.

The recall applies to several varieties of both in-shell and shelled pistachios, some of which were sold under the Paramount Farms brand and the Trader Joe's brand. The products were distributed by Wonderful to retailers nationwide as well as in Canada.

Contaminated products can be identified by a 13-digit lot number published online by the FDA. Those numbers can be found on the lower back or bottom panel of the package.

The outbreak, a strain called Salmonella Montevideo, has been reported in nine states so far, and the investigation is ongoing. In an outbreak report, the Centers for Disease Control cautioned that because these products have a long shelf life, they may still be in consumers' homes. All Wonderful products should be reviewed carefully against the recall information.