Rhode Island Firm Expands Recall Of Italian Sausage Products Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL

FSIS-RC-006-2010 HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs

(202) 720-9113

Atiya Khan 

Editor’s Note: This recall release is being reissued to expand the January 23 recall to include approximately 17,235 pounds of Italian sausage products.

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2010 - Daniele International Inc., an establishment with operations in Pascoag and Mapleville, R.I., is expanding its January 23 recall to include approximately 17,235 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame, that may be contaminated with Salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. 

The recall is being expanded as a result of a confirmed finding of Salmonella in an unopened salami product reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The product was sampled during the course of an ongoing investigation of a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella serotype Montevideo illnesses. The product tested was not included in the previous recall (FSIS Recall 006-2010) issued January 23, but is similar to products bought by customers who later became sick in the Montevideo investigation. Product subject to the expanded recall may have been cross-contaminated with black pepper before it was packed. The company believes that black pepper is a possible source of Salmonella contamination. 

Further testing is ongoing at a state health partner laboratory, and may determine if the product contained the Salmonella Montevideo strain associated with the multi-state outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FSIS, state health and agriculture departments, and Daniele International are cooperating in this investigation. The CDC has posted information about the multi-state outbreak on its website (http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella) but the investigation is ongoing, and has not yet definitively identified a food vehicle(s). 

FSIS is continuing to work with the CDC, FDA, affected state public health partners, and the company on the investigation and will update the public on the progress of this investigation as information becomes available.

The products subject to recall include: [Recall Labels]

Packages of “DANIELE HOT SOPRESSATA CALABRESE,” produced on 11/7/09, 12/16/09 and 12/18/09.

Packages of “DANIELE SOPRESSATA CALABRESE,” produced on 12/16/09 and 12/18/09.

Packages of “BOAR’S HEAD BRAND HOT SOPRESSATA CALABRESE,” produced on 11/28/09, 12/9/09 and 12/14/09.

Each package bears a label with establishment number “EST. 54” inside the USDA mark of inspection and weighs approximately 3 to 3.5 pounds. These products were distributed to retail establishments nationwide. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS’ website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/ Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.