Salmonella Outbreak Leads to Salami Recall

Sunday Jan 24, 2010 (foodconsumer.org) -- The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service on Jan 23 posted a statement to alert consumers to a recall for 1,240,000 pounds of read-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products including salami/salame due to possible contamination of salmonella.

Daniele International Inc., based out of Pascoag and Maplesville, Rhode Island, issued the voluntary recall after samples of its salami products tested positive for salmonella.

Federal and state health officials suspected that there may be a link between an ongoing multi-state outbreak of salmonella and the sausage products being recalled, but no direct link has been established.

The health officials found the sausage products used by consumers who came down with salmonella illness were similar to those made by Daniele International.  But the strain found in the company's sausages did not match the Montevideo strain that caused the outbreak.

The FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration, state health and agriculture departments as well as the meat packer are cooperating in this ongoing investigation.

The CDC on Jan 23 updated the outbreak on its web site saying that as of 12:00 noon EST on Jan 22, 2010, a total of 184 persons from 38 states have reportedly suffered salmonella Montevideo since July 2009.

The states where salmonella illness has been reported include AL (2), AZ (5), CA (30), CO (2), CT (4), DE (2), FL (2), GA (3), IA (1),  IL (11), IN (3), KS (3), LA (1), MA (12), MD (1), ME (1), MI (1), MN (4), NC (9), ND (1), NE (1), NH (1), NJ (7), NY (15), OH (9), OK (1), OR (8), PA (3),  RI (2), SC (1), SD (3), TN (3), TX (7), UT (7), VA (1), WA (14), WV (1), and WY (2).

The recalled products are listed here.

Each package carries a label with establishment number "EST. 9992" or "EST. 54" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

No similar products produced by other meat packers are affected by the recall, health officials said.

The CDC states on its website that "a widely distributed contaminated food product might cause illnesses across the United States."  But it acknowledged that it is not easy to find the source of the salmonella outbreak.

According to the health agency, a preliminary study of 39 patients and 39 well persons suggested salami as a possible source of the illness.  To be specific, the study found 51 percent of ill people reported that they ate salami compared to 15 percent of well people.

Additionally, 11 people who suffered salmonella poisoning reported purchasing the same type of sliced salami variety pack at different grocery store locations before becoming ill. This product is being recalled by the company. But the salmonella strain found in the sausages in the tested products differs from the one that causes the outbreak, according to the CDC.

Salmonella causes symptoms including diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps in most people within 12 to 72 hours of infection.  A stool sample needs to be cultured to identify the infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.  Infants, elderly peoples and those who have compromised immune systems such as HIV and cancer patients are at high risk of developing severe illness.

The CDC advises that consumers should not eat the recalled products. Instead, they should return them to the place of purchase or pack it in a closed plastic bag and place it in a sealed trash can.

To prevent salmonella illness, the CDC recommends washing hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry.  Consumers are advised to cook beef and pork until the inner temperature reaches 160 oF.  To cook chicken, the inner temperature needs to be at least 165 degrees F.

Those who have any questions regarding the recall should contact the Daniele International Inc hotline at 888 345-4160.