Investigation Update: Pistachio Cream Outbreak, June 2025

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in two states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections.

Epidemiologic and laboratory data show that Emek-brand pistachio cream is contaminated with Salmonella Oranienburg and is making people sick. The investigation is ongoing to determine if additional lots or products are affected.

Epidemiologic data

As of June 13, 2025, four people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Oranienburg have been reported from two states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 10, 2025, to May 19, 2025. Of four people with information available, one has been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and this outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

Public health officials collect many different types of information from sick people, including their age, race, ethnicity, other demographics, and the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. This information provides clues to help investigators identify the source of the outbreak.

The table below has information about sick people in this outbreak ("n" is the number of people with information available for each demographic).

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the four people interviewed, all four (100%) reported eating pistachio cream. Three of the four people reported eating pistachio cream at the same restaurant.

Laboratory and traceback data

Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture collected and tested pistachio cream from the restaurant where sick people reported eating. WGS from these samples showed that the Salmonella in the pistachio cream is closely related to bacteria from the sick people, confirming the pistachio cream as the source of the outbreak.

WGS analysis of bacteria from four people's samples and four environmental samples did not predict resistance to any antibiotics. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site.

Public health actions

Retailers, restaurants, and distributors that purchased Emek-brand Pistachio Cream should not sell, serve, or distribute product with this lot number and production date while the investigation is ongoing.