TERRA BELLA, Calif. (AP) — It could take weeks before health officials know exactly which pistachio products may be tainted with salmonella, but they’ve already issued a sweeping warning to avoid eating the nuts or foods containing them.
The move appears to indicate a shift in how the government handles food safety issues — from waiting until contaminated foods surface one-by-one and risking that more people fall ill to jumping on the problem right away, even if the message is vague.
Officials wouldn’t say if the approach was in response to any perceived mishandling of the massive peanut recall that started last year, only that they’re trying to keep people from getting sick as new details surface about the California plant at the center of the pistachio scare.
‘‘What’s different here is that we are being very proactive and are putting out a broad message with the goal of trying to minimize the likelihood of consumer exposure,’’ said Dr. David Acheson, FDA’s assistant commissioner for food safety. ‘‘The only logical advice to consumers is to say ’OK consumers, put pistachios on hold while we work this out. We don’t want you exposed, we don’t want you getting salmonella.’’’
Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, the president’s new acting commissioner who started Monday, made it clear staff needed to move quickly, Acheson said.
The agency announced Monday that Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., the second-largest pistachio processor in the nation, recalled more than 2 million pounds of its roasted pistachios.
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