Salmonella poisoning linked to pistachio cream sickens 4 in Minnesota and New Jersey

Four people have been sickened in two states by salmonella poisoning linked to pistachio cream, a nut butter spread used in desserts and other dishes, federal health officials said Monday.

Three people in Minnesota and one in New Jersey fell ill between March 10 and May 19, including one person who was hospitalized. The outbreak is tied to Emek brand pistachio cream with a use-by date of Oct. 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The spread, which may be packaged in 11-pound (5 kilogram) tubs, was imported from Turkey and sold online to wholesale distributors, restaurants and food service locations nationwide. It has a production code of 241019. The product should not be sold, distributed or served, the CDC said.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning can occur within hours or days of consuming contaminated food and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover within a week, but some can become sick enough to be hospitalized. Young children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk.