Salmonella infections can be dangerous for certain people. That’s why we see food recalls routinely when products test positive for the pathogen. There’s even a Salmonella outbreak warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although it’s unrelated to contaminated food. The CDC warning concerns a pet, as animals can carry Salmonella and pass it to humans. That also happens to be why Bistak Enterprises Inc. and Bistak Groceries Inc. announced a massive food recall. The companies recalled every single food product they make due to potential Salmonella contamination caused by a rodent infestation.
The Bistak food recall
The two companies recalled all the food they sold up to December 29th, FoodSafetyNews reports. The list may include “dry foods such as grains, beans, flour; grocery canned goods; fats and oils; drinks; meat products; fish products; baked goods; spices; and milk powder.”
A referral from the Saskatchewan Health Authority triggered the Bistak food recall, primarily impacting Canadian buyers. The Bistak companies distributed their products in southern Canada states, including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
There have been no reported cases of Salmonella infections associated with the consumption of the food products in this massive recall. But the two companies advise people to avoid consuming any of the products in the recall.
Salmonella infection symptoms
Food with Salmonella will not smell or taste different, so you can’t tell whether the products in the recall are safe to eat.
If you consume foods with Salmonella, you risk developing an infection within 12 to 72 hours after ingesting the bacteria. The illness will pass after a few days without treatment for most people. But specific categories of patients, including children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, might develop more severe cases that require medical attention.
Symptoms can include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Some of these symptoms are common with other illnesses, so you might not immediately associate them with consuming food products from the Bistak food recall.
A proper diagnosis will require testing for Salmonella.
What you should do
If you still have Bistak products from the massive food recall in your fridge or freezer, you should stop consuming them. You should not serve, sell, or distribute any of the food products in the recall, even if they still look good. As a reminder, Salmonella contamination does not impact the aspect, taste, or smell of foods.
Customers should throw out the recalled products or return the various foods to the location where they were purchased.
If you live in Canada or you’ve traveled up north recently and shopped at Bistak locations, you should be aware of the food recall. You should check whether you have any of the Bistak food products sold up to December 29th in your home.
People who develop symptoms similar to a Salmonella infection should contact their doctor if they worsen. That’s something you should do regardless of whether or not you’ve consumed Bistak food products recently.
Finally, make sure you check out the official Bistak food recall announcement at this link.
