52 people have fallen ill after consuming contaminated pistachios and baked goods made with them 

August 7,2025

RED FM News Desk

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says it expects more cases of salmonella in the coming months, linked to certain brands of pistachios and products containing pistachios. This comes on top of 52 confirmed cases across four provinces. 

As of Tuesday, the agency reported that 52 people became ill after consuming contaminated pistachios or baked goods made with the nuts. These include 39 cases in Quebec, nine in Ontario, three in British Columbia, and one in Manitoba. Nine individuals have been hospitalized. 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued recalls for products from the brands Habibi, Al Mokhtar Food Centre, and Dubai. These items were sold in Ontario, Quebec, and online to consumers across Canada. 

Among the recalled items is Dubai chocolate—a sweet treat made with milk chocolate, pistachio cream, and crispy knafeh. The chocolate gained popularity on TikTok in 2023, sparking widespread imitation, reviews, and recipes online. 

April Hexemer, PHAC’s director of outbreak management, said more cases are likely due to delays in reporting and confirming infections. It can take 15 to 55 days for a case to be identified, from when a person falls ill to when lab tests confirm the cause. 

“We expect this outbreak will continue for some time before it can be declared over,” Hexemer said in an interview Wednesday. 

She added that for every confirmed case, an estimated 26 others go unreported, as many people may experience mild symptoms and not seek medical attention or get tested. 

At this stage, it’s unclear whether more pistachio-based products will be recalled, or if the source of the outbreak can be definitively traced. It’s also unknown why 75% of reported cases so far are female, with patients ranging in age from two to 89 years old. 

Salmonella is a bacterial infection spread through contaminated food. It can be transmitted for days or weeks after exposure, even if the infected person shows no symptoms. 

In serious cases—especially among children, seniors, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems—salmonella can cause severe or even life-threatening illness. In otherwise healthy people, symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea usually begin 6 to 72 hours after exposure and last less than a week. 

The CFIA urges consumers to check recalled products against the official notice and dispose of or return any matching items.