Outbreak of Salmonella linked to various brands of Pistachios

Canada

Update January 15th, 2026:
Canadian public health officials report 166 confirmed Salmonella cases, up from previous counts. Hospitalizations have increased to 25, with no deaths reported. The outbreak now includes cases in Alberta, bringing the total to six affected provinces.

Additional Salmonella serotypes have been confirmed, expanding the outbreak to 13 strains in total. Illness onset dates now extend through early December 2025, and officials note an illness reporting lag of 12–99 days, meaning more cases may still be identified.

Testing continues to detect outbreak strains in recalled pistachios and pistachio-containing products, including Dubai-style chocolate. The investigation remains active, and public health authorities continue to advise avoiding pistachios from Iran and products made with them.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


Update December 2nd, 2025:
Public health officials now report 155 confirmed illnesses linked to this outbreak, with cases now spanning six provinces. Hospitalizations have increased to 24, and there are still no deaths. The age range of affected individuals is now 1 to 95 years, and 70% of cases are female.

Several additional Salmonella serotypes have now been confirmed in the outbreak, bringing the total to 12 strains, including newly reported strains such as Salmonella Agona, Branderup, Corvallis, and Kottbus.

Illness onset dates now extend through mid-November 2025, and health officials note that the reporting lag has expanded to 12–99 days, meaning more recent cases may still be identified.

Testing continues to confirm outbreak strains in both recalled pistachios and Dubai-style chocolate. The investigation remains active, and additional sources may still emerge. Public health authorities advise avoiding pistachios from Iran and any products made with them, due to contamination risk.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


Update October 21st, 2025:
The Public Health Agency of Canada has released a new update on the Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios and pistachio-containing products. The total number of confirmed cases has increased to 117 across six provinces, with 17 hospitalizations and no deaths reported. Alberta and Manitoba have now confirmed additional cases since the last update.

Health officials have identified eight different outbreak strains: Salmonella Havana, Mbandaka, Meleagridis, Tennessee, Anatum, Bareilly, Senftenberg, and Ohio. People became ill between early March and late September 2025, and 74% of reported cases are female, ranging in age from 2 to 95 years.

Testing has detected the outbreak strains in recalled pistachios and in Dubai-style chocolate and pastry products containing pistachios. Authorities continue to investigate, noting that additional sources may still be identified.

Due to the illness reporting lag (which can range from 15 to 99 days), more recent cases may still appear.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


Update September 24th, 2025:
- Total confirmed cases have risen to 105 (up from 79).
- New provinces involved: Alberta (4 cases reported).
- Hospitalizations have increased to 16 (no deaths reported).
- Additional outbreak strains identified: Salmonella Anatum, Salmonella Bareilly, and Salmonella Senftenberg, in addition to the previously reported strains (Havana, Mbandaka, Meleagridis, and Tennessee).
- People became sick between early March and early September 2025.
- Illness reporting lag remains 15–99 days, so additional cases may still be reported.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


Update September 15th, 2025:

- Illness count increased to 79 (up from 62)
- Provinces now include New Brunswick (1 case reported).
British Columbia (5)
Manitoba (1)
Ontario (17)
Quebec (55)
New Brunswick (1)
- Hospitalizations increased to 11 (no deaths reported).

A fourth strain, Salmonella Tennessee, has been identified in addition to Salmonella Havana, Mbandaka, and Meleagridis.

The illness reporting lag for this outbreak is now estimated at 15 to 99 days, so more cases may still be confirmed.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


Update August 19th, 2025:
The Public Health Agency of Canada has provided an update on the Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios and pistachio-containing products.

Key developments:
- The outbreak strains have also been detected in samples of Dubai brand Pistachio & Knafeh Milk Chocolate, in addition to the previously recalled Habibi pistachios.
- People became sick between early March and early August 2025.
- Due to a reporting lag of 15 to 55 days, more recent illnesses may still be confirmed.

Health authorities stress that the actual number of cases is likely much higher than reported, as many people with mild illness do not seek medical care or testing.

The investigation remains active, and officials warn that additional sources may be identified.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


Update August 15th, 2025:
The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued an update on the ongoing Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios and pistachio-containing products. Laboratory testing has now confirmed three outbreak strains: Salmonella Havana, Salmonella Mbandaka, and Salmonella Meleagridis.

- Confirmed cases: 62 (up from 52 previously reported)
- Hospitalizations: 10 (no deaths)
- Provinces affected: British Columbia (5), Manitoba (1), Ontario (11), Quebec (45)
- Demographics: 76% of illnesses involve females; ages range from 2 to 89 years

Expanded recalls include products from the following brands: Habibi, Al Mokhtar Food Centre, Dubai, Andalos, Chocolats Favoris, Chocofolie, Chocolato and Vincent Sélection.

Distribution has also broadened, with recalled products shipped to British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec, and some items available online.

Officials warn that more cases may still be reported due to the reporting lag of up to 55 days between illness onset and confirmation.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada


August 5th, 2025:
A Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios and pistachio-containing products has resulted in 52 confirmed illnesses across Canada, with nine hospitalizations reported. The affected regions include British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec in Canada. The outbreak involves various brands, including Habibi, Al Mokhtar Food Centre, and Dubai, with products distributed in Ontario and Quebec and available online.

Provinces and territories with people affected
- British Columbia: 3
- Manitoba: 1
- Ontario: 9
- Quebec: 39

The outbreak, which began in early March and continued through mid-July 2025, has predominantly affected females, with ages ranging from 2 to 89 years. The majority of cases have been reported in Quebec. The outbreak strains, Salmonella Havana and Salmonella Mbandaka, were identified in samples of the recalled Habibi brand pistachios. Public health officials are actively investigating, and further sources may be identified as the situation develops.

The problem was discovered through laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella, with many affected individuals reporting consumption of pistachios and related products, such as Dubai-style chocolate. The reporting period for the illness ranges from 15 to 55 days after onset, indicating that more cases may emerge. Public health authorities emphasize that the actual number of cases is likely higher, as many individuals with mild symptoms may not seek medical attention or testing.

Source: www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/public-health-notices/2025/outbreak-salmonella-infections-pistachios-related-products.html