Dubai Chocolate Spread Linked to Salmonella Outbreak, 1 Hospitalized: CDC
NEED TO KNOW
- A Salmonella outbreak has been linked to two jarred pistachio creams, the CDC announced on July 16
- There have been 4 cases and one hospitalization linked to the outbreak, which was announced two days after an initial product recall
- World Market and the FDA recalled a jarred pistachio-cocoa spread due to potential Salmonella contamination on July 14
Days after a jarred pistachio-cocoa spread similar to Dubai chocolate was recalled, a Salmonella outbreak has been linked to the product.
On July 14, World Market and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall for a batch of Spread Pistachio Cacao Cream with Kadayif, a product from Turkish company Emek Gıda, due to a potential contamination of Salmonella.
The jarred spread, which features “Dubai” on the label is found primarily at World Market. The retail chain, known for its home decor and international food products, voluntarily issued a recall for the product, also on July 14.
The product’s ingredients are similar to the viral bar, a milk chocolate shell filled with pistachio cream, tahini and knafeh (shredded phyllo pastry).
Emek pistachio cocao cream with kadayif, which was linked to a Salmonella outbreak in July 2024.
Food and Drug Administration.
The affected batch of the cocoa-pistachio spread is packed in clear, glass 9.7 oz. jars and features the batch number 250401 and use-by date of April 1, 2027, according to the FDA.
They were distributed at World Market locations in over 30 states. (For the full list of affected states, see the FDA’s official notice.)
Emek Gıda did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, July 20.
Salmonella was detected in the spread after “samples of the product were collected in Minnesota as part of an investigation into Emek brand pistachio spread products,” according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Through laboratory testing of the samples, Salmonella was found.
In a press release announcing the recall, World Market warned: “Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.”
“Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain,” the retail chain continued. “In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.”
World Market also urged any customers who purchased the Emek Gıda spread not to eat it, but rather “return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or they may discard the product.”
Emek pistachio cocao cream with kadayif, which was linked to a Salmonella outbreak in July 2024.
Food and Drug Administration.
When the initial recall was issued, the FDA stated that no illnesses associated with the product had yet been reported. Two days later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a Salmonella outbreak had been linked to the recalled spread and another pistachio cream from the same Turkish company.
Health officials are currently “investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to pistachio cream,” the CDC said in a July 16 press release. There have been four cases linked to the products, as well as one hospitalization, across two states, the CDC said. (The agency did not specify the affected states.)
The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
Along with the previously recalled “Dubai” cream, the CDC also warned consumers to avoid “Emek brand Pistachio Cream” with a use-by date of Oct. 19, 2026, due to potential contamination.
The FDA is currently “working to determine if this lot is in distribution or if other lots or products are affected,” the CDC said in the July 16 notice.
In the meantime, the CDC warned businesses not to “sell, serve, or distribute Emek brand pistachio cream with the production code and date above or the newly recalled spread.”
The agency also urged individuals to “wash and sanitize items and surfaces that may have come in contact with the pistachio cream.”
