HUDS Removes Pistachio Items

Pistachios are the latest nut to disappear from Harvard dining hall menus. The move comes in response to a warning issued earlier this week by the Food and Drug Administration about salmonella contamination of products from Setton Pistachios of Terra Bella, Inc.

Just two months ago, Harvard University Dining Services eliminated all peanuts from their dishes in the wake of a salmonella outbreak attributed to several peanut products.

The FDA and the California Department of Public Health is still investigating the incident, and Setton has voluntarily recalled around one million pounds of pistachios—both shelled and unshelled—while completely stopping distribution. Setton has also contacted all its wholesalers and asked them to recall their products.

HUDS, in consultation with the University’s Environmental Health and Safety Department, is revising its menu. “We are reviewing every single product we offer for possible pistachio use and are working to remove them from service,” said Crista Martin, the HUDS spokesperson.

Popular Harvard Square ice cream shop J.P. Licks has also changed its menu to guard against contaminated nuts.

“We’ve taken the pistachio ice-cream off the board and are waiting for more information before bringing it back,” said Kathryn Lapolla, a J.P. Licks supervisor.

Herrell’s Ice Cream and Espresso Bar has remained largely unaffected by the entire salmonella outbreak.

“We haven’t served pistachio ice cream in a while, and it isn’t a popular topping,” said Jared Sheeham, the manager on shift yesterday afternoon. “We also managed to avoid the peanut recall.”

The Market in the Square is one of the few places still serving pistachios—in its gelato—in the absence of any notices from the Massachusetts Health and Homelands Alert Network. Employees at C’est Bon Convenience were unaware of the Setton recall.

Students agreed with the safety consideration taken but wondered if it was necessary.

“I haven’t seen pistachios on the menu, but there’s no reason to completely remove them because of one manufacturer,” said Casey L. Cazer ’12.

Another student, Aleksandra L. Syrkina ’12, agreed with HUDS’ action but said she “wouldn’t really notice if they took [pistachios] off.”