Salmonella is one of the most important foodborne pathogens that has attracted special attention in recent years for its role in contaminating agricultural and plant products. Contrary to popular belief, dried products including nuts, especially pistachios, can act as carriers of Salmonella and threaten the health of consumers. Pistachios are of particular importance due to their high economic value, widespread domestic consumption and global export, and limited processing before consumption.
The aim of this review article is to comprehensively examine the sources, causes, and transmission pathways of Salmonella in agricultural products, with a special focus on the pistachio production chain as an important and systematic case study, analyzing the factors involved and providing effective control measures throughout the production and processing chain. Studies show that environmental factors, including contaminated soil and animal manure, unsuitable irrigation water, the presence of animals and birds, contact with contaminated equipment during harvesting and processing, and unsuitable drying and storage conditions, are among the most important factors affecting pistachio contamination with Salmonella. Although the low water activity of pistachios prevents active bacterial growth, Salmonella is able to survive in dry conditions for long periods of time and can cause salmonellosis if the product is consumed raw or unprocessed. Therefore, integrated control across the production chain, from the farm to processing, along with the use of modern disinfection methods, is essential for effectively reducing the risk of Salmonella in dry products such as pistachios.