Food Poisoning Law Blog : Food Poisoning Lawyer & Attorney : PritzkerLaw : Food Safety, Outbreaks & Recalls

Between January 23 and February 16, Daniele International Inc. of Pascoag, Rhode Island, recalled a total of 1.4 million pounds of salami products because they were believed to be contaminated with Salmonella Montevideo and/or Salmonella Senftenberg.

The company's Italian style sausage meat has been strongly associated with an outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo that has sickened at least 249 people in 44 states since last July. Another eight cases of Salmonella Senftenberg have been confirmed by investigators.

That's six more illnesses combined than were reported last week and the most recent onset of illness is marked as February 18. Other cases in the process of being confirmed have not yet been added to the overall count.

The Rhode Island Department of Public Health has found the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo in samples of black and red pepper from Daniele's production plant. Since then, in domino fashion, two of Daniele's pepper suppliers have announced recalls and a couple of their customers have done the same.

See The Food Safety Lawyer for a comprehensive list of the recalls.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 percent of outbreak victims have been hospitalized. There have been no deaths.

If you or a loved one is a victim of this outbreak and have seen a physician, you may have legal questions about compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other costs. For answers and a free case consultation, call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen. We already represent a number of victims from this outbreak and we are continuing to accept cases at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

Salmonella infection can be overcome by healthy adults without treatment, but people should not take this form of food poisoning lightly. In the last national Salmonella outbreak, which was related to contaminated peanuts, nine people died and many more suffered long-term health consequences.

For victims of these preventable outbreaks, one of the long-term risks is a painful condition known as Reiter's Syndrome, or reactive arthritis (ReA).  Other possible long-term consequences include infected bone marrow or inflamation of the aorta or the heart muscle.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to investigate the possibility that pepper in Daniele salami might be responsible for a Salmonella Montevideo outbreak that has sickened 238 individuals in 44 states and the District of Columbia.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen has been retained to represent victims of this salami Salmonella outbreak associated with Daniele International Inc. of Pascoag, Rhode Island.

The firm represents Salmonella infection victims throughout the United States, and has recently filed a lawsuit in Nevada (Shirley Shultz v. Union International Food Co., 3:09-cv-00259, United States Court, District of Nevada.) The Nevada lawsuit involves a 2009 outbreak of Salmonella Rissen linked to contaminated pepper produced by California-based Union International Food Company.

In response to this outbreak, Daniele has recalled more than 1.7 million pounds of salami products starting January 23. The outbreak itself dates to July 2009, hospitalizing an estimated 63 people. Leading states for the outbreak include California (30 cases), New York (18), Washington (17), Illinois (17) Massachusetts (13) and North Carolina (11).

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The Food and Drug Administration has collected and analyzed nearly 70 domestic and imported black pepper samples in its ongoing investigation of the supply chain of black pepper used by Daniele Inc. in the making of salami.

So far, all samples have tested negative for the strain of Salmonella Montevideo causing an outbreak that has sickened at least 230 people in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Daniele's pepper-coated salami products have been associated with the outbreak in many ways, including the finding of the outbreak strain of Salmonella in an open containers of black pepper at the salami plant.

"The FDA is continuing to investigate the possibility that pepper might be responsible for this outbreak and has not yet reached any conclusion,'' the FDA said in a press release.

Meanwhile, two suppliers of black pepper to Rhode Island-based Daniele have placed the remaining supply of black pepper in potentially affected lots on hold while the investigation continues.

Jeff Farrar, the FDA's associate commissioner for food protection, told the Washington Post that the agency is now testing pepper samples from other food companies that received pepper from Daniele's suppliers -- Wholesome Spice Co. of New York and Mincing Overseas Spice Co. of New Jersey.

Since January 23, Daniele has recalled more than 1.7 million pounds of salami and other ready-to-eat salami/salame products -- including some made with crushed red pepper instead of black pepper.

To see a complete, searchable list of the recalled Daniele Salami products, see The Food Safety Lawyer.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is preparing a Daniele salami Salmonella lawsuit and is continuing to accept cases from this outbreak. Our lawyers can be contacted for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing the form on the side of this Web page.

 

 

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating the supply chain of black pepper used in the making of 1.6 million pounds of coated salami and other ready-to-eat meats recalled by Daniele Inc. of Pascoag, Rhode Island.

The recalled salame products have been linked to a 42-state outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo that has sickened at least 213 people and sent an estimated 55 people to the hospital. No deaths have been reported.

A significant amount of people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella didn't eat salami the week before getting ill, which has given investigators reason to look for other pepper-containing food products as additional sources of the outbreak.

Rhode Island's own health department confirmed through DNA  testing that unopened containers of pepper at Daniele were contaminated with the outbreak strain of Salmonella. The company had suspected it. The pepper was traced to two suppliers who sourced pepper from the same manufacturer.

The first illnesses in this outbreak occurred in early July 2009, but it wasn't until January that Oregon and Washington health officials locked onto salami as a potential cause. As so often is the case in food poisoning investigations, interviews conducted with ill persons made the difference. Once a correlation was found, DNA fingerprinting confirmed it was correct.

The successful case-control study in this outbreak compared foods eaten by 41 ill and 41 well persons. Preliminary analysis of this study suggested salami as a possible source of illness. Ill persons (58%) were significantly more likely than well persons (16%) to report eating salami. Additionally, 16 ill persons have been identified who purchased the same type of sliced salami variety pack at different grocery store locations before becoming ill.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is monitoring the outbreak investigation and is continuing to accept cases from this outbreak. As a leading practitioner of foodborne illness litigation, we are involved in practically every major outbreak and we have collected tens of millions for victims.

We have experience representing victims made seriously ill by Salmonella, including a woman who spent two weeks in an Arizona hospital last year after consuming contaminated pepper at a Reno resort where a cluster of other people also got sick. 

For a free case consultation call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. 

Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample, so it is important to see a doctor. The illness usually lasts from 4 to 7 days.

Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur. Infants, elderly persons, and those with weakened immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. When severe infection occurs, Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health has discovered Salmonella in an unopened salami product made by Daniele Inc. that was not included in the previous recall of 1.24 million pounds of pepper salame products.

The finding has prompted an additional recall of 17,235 pounds of hot sopressata calabres Italian sausage in 3 to 3.5-pound packages under the Daniele and Boar's Head brand names. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service is peparing a list of retail stores nationwide that purchased the salami products. 

An FSIS press release said the hot sopressata calabres salami  was sampled during the course of the ongoing investigation of a 42-state outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo illnesses -- more than 200 cases at last count. The Illinois result marks the first time in the investigation that Salmonella was found in an unopened package of Daniele salami. More tests are being conducted to see if the bacteria matches the outbreak strain.

FSIS said the product tested is similar to previously recalled products bought by customers who later became sick.

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, the FSIS press release said.

Ill persons should immediately see a doctor. In this outbreak alone, more than 38 individuals have been hospitalized. Most healthy adults recover from Salmonella infection without treatement, but it can cause serious illness or death in young children, older adults and people who have weakened immune systems. Up to 2 percent of humans develop reactive arthropathy, or Reiter's syndrome, after being infected, a condition causing long-term chronic pain and disability.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen has been monitoring this investigation and is accepting cases from individuals sickened in the salami outbreak. To contact a Salmonella lawyer for a free case consultation call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact form on the side of this Web page.

We  have years of experience representing victims of food poisoning and are involved as advocates for victims in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness. This outbreak could have been prevented and it still appears to be active.

Click here to see the previous Daniele salami recall list. The expanded recall pertains to three items, all bearing USDA establishment number "EST 54" on the USDA shield of inspection.

• 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.  

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Rhode Island Department of Health has confirmed  that the same strain of Salmonella Montevideo that has infected almost 200 people in 40 states has been found in an open container of pepper at salami maker Daniele Inc.

The Pascoag, Rhode Island, company previously announced a Salmonella finding in its pepper inventory, but didn't say whether the isolate was a DNA match to the strain making people sick across the country since last July.

The state didn't identify the brand of pepper or name the supplier, but did say that this particular brand was only distributed to Daniele Inc. in Rhode Island. The announcement does not ensure that Daniele pepper salami is the only product that caused the outbreak. But so far no products have been added to the Salmonella outbreak recall list.

Because the pepper sample that tested positive by Rhode Island Health came from an open container, it is considered the probable source of the outbreak and more tests are being conducted, the state said.

Previous lab tests by state health officials in Iowa and Washington found the outbreak strain of Samonella in open packs of recalled Daniele sliced variety packs containing pepper salami. 

A key finding in the investigation came from Washingon, where state investigators reviewing shopping receipts verified that 13 cases purchased the same salami variety pack before getting sick. The Iowa salami Salmonella confirmation came from a sample found in salami from a pack that one of the cases had eaten. 

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is accepting cases from this outbreak. We are currently representing Salmonella victims nationwide, including some who have suffered long-term consequences, such as arterial infections. Call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page for a free case consultation about your rights to compensation for a Salmonella outbreak that could and should have been prevented.

 

Salmonellosis is a common foodborne infection that comes from more than 2,000 strains of Salmonella and most people recover from salmonellosis on their own. But it is not to be taken lightly and can be deadly in cases involving young children, older adults and people who have weakened immune systems.

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The Rhode Island company linked to a national salami Salmonella outbreak is reporting that samples of black pepper in its inventory have tested positive for Salmonella.

The discovery will trigger additional study by state and federal health inspectors to identify the supplier and determine if other peppered products have contributed to the outbreak. More recalls could be announced soon.

Here's what salami maker Daniele Inc. of Pascoag, Rhode Island, is telling its customers:

Samples of the black pepper used to coat the finished products have tested positive for Salmonella. This indicates that the product was contaminated after processing. We have changed suppliers of our spices, and specifications for spices. We are now using only pasteurized spices.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo has been found in patients and salami. A second strain of Salmonella Seftenberg also has been recovered. As the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy noted, the company doesn't say which strain was found in its pepper.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 189 individuals in 40 states have been infected by the same strain of Salmonella since July 2009. Epidemiological study only recently connected the outbreak to pepper salami made by Daniele. The company has recalled 1.24 million pounds of product and the details of  the recall can be seen by clicking here.

Salmonellosis should not be taken lightly. Salmonella is a human pathogen that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. In rare circumstances, it can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

 National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is accepting cases from this outbreak at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or online via contact form on this Web page. Individuals may call a Salmonella lawyer for answers to legal questions about compensation. This outbreak could have been prevented. Click here to read about a Daniele salami lawsuit

Our firm is one of the few in the nation practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and our lawyers are considered leaders in this complicated area of law. We have the experience of successfully representing food poisoning victims in practically every major outbreak in the U.S. 

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In the Daniele pepper salami Salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 200 people in 40 states, the largest numbers of cases are found in California, New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah and New Jersey.

The number of ill persons identified in each state with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo is as follows: AL (2), AZ (5), CA (30), CO (3), CT (4), DE (2), FL (2), GA (3), IA (1), ID (2), IL (11), IN (3), KS (3), LA (1), MA (12), MD (1), ME (1), MI (1), MN (4), MO (1), 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 (4), TX (7), UT (7), VA (1), WA (14), WV (1), and WY (2). Because this is a commonly occurring strain, public health investigators may determine that some of the illnesses are not part of this outbreak.

Here is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) map of the outbreak.

People with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Infants, elderly persons and those with weakened immunes systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is recommending that when a patient seeks medical attention, it is important for physicians to order laboratory tests to detect the pathogens. The test results are important, though not vital, in helping victims collect compensation for their injuries, lost time and medical expenses.

If you have questions regarding your legal rights to compensation related to this nationwide outbreak, contact a Salmonella lawyer at Pritzker Olsen by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing our contact form on the side of this web page.

Our firm is a leader in foodborne illness litigation and our founder and president, Fred Pritzker, has called on Daniele Inc. of Pascoag, Rhode Island, to immediately pay the medical bills and other direct costs of victims of this outbreak, which could have been prevented.

Prevention of food poisoning is an important part of our mission at Pritzker Olsen. We actively support initiatives to strengthen food safety and our clients have given important testimony in Congress to help pass reforms that are long overdue. Fred is a sought-after speaker by food industry executives who work in the area of food safety.

The CDC has said other food products besides pepper salami and salame sold by Daniele could have contributed to this outbreak. We are closely monitoring the investigation and have heard from several individuals around the country who have been affected by this outbreak.

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Two public health labs have confirmed that pepper salami produced by a Rhode Island company, Daniele Inc., is the cause of a national outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo that has sickened at least 189 people in 40 states.

The confirmations were achieved through DNA fingerprinting by health workers at the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Washington State Department of Public Health.

In Iowa, the molecular subtyping matched the outbreak strain of Salmonella to Salmonella that infected a patient in that state. The sample came from Daniele salami the person had saved in the freezer.

The Iowa sample was from a sliced salami variety pack -- the same as that purchased by at least 13 other ill persons.

The breakthrough was announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which continues to say that it is possible another food item caused illnesses in the outbreak, which started last July and was first detected in Oregon and Washington. 

Daniele has stopped production of its salami and salame products and will now irradiate the pepper it uses on the product to kill germs. Some scientists believe pepper was the vehicle for the Salmonella in this case.

The Pascoag, Rhode Island, company recalled 1.23 million pounds of pepper salami, including variety packs containing pepper salami / salame less than 24 hours after the CDC announced the outbreak late last week. Click here to view a complete list of items under recall, including products under the Boar's Head and Dietz & Watson brand.

States hardest hit by the outbreak include California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois and Oregon. But 32 other states have confirmed cases and it is a certainty that some cases have not yet been reported to public health officials. The outbreak was active through the first week of January, at a minimum.

If you or a loved one has been sickened in this outbreak, contact a Salmonella lawyer at Pritzker Olsen by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing the contact form on the side of this Web page. We are a national food safety law firm with leading experience; involved as an advocate for victims in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness.

This outbreak could have been prevented and Daniele Inc. should immediately pay medical costs, lost wages and other associated expenses of individuals sickened by its products. If you have questions about compensation, contact us. We have collected tens of millions for food poisoning victims, including Salmonella patients who have suffered long-term health consequences from their infections.

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The public health investigation into a 7-month-old Salmonella outbreak is widening and could possibly implicate other contaminated food products in addition to salami.

"It is possible that more than one food product may be causing illnesses,'' the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Monday in its latest update on the outbreak.

The CDC report said preliminary analysis of a recent study of the outbreak has suggested salami as a possible source of illness. Ill persons (51 percent) were significantly more likely than well persons (15 percent) to report eating salami.

Additionally, 11 ill persons purchased the same type of sliced salami variety pack at different grocery store locations before becoming ill. These data suggest this product may be the source of some of these illnesses, the CDC said. This sliced salami variety pack was recently recalled by Daniele Inc. as part of a 1.23 million-pound recall of products containing pepper salami.

The Daniele salami Salmonella recall came less than 24 hours after the CDC announced the outbreak. According to the latest tally, 187 people in 39 states have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo. Of 133 victims who provided information, 37 were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

More testing is in the works to look for possible confirmation of the outbreak strain of Salmonella in ingredients at Daniele and in other food products. Private laboratory tests found Salmonella in a retail sample of a Daniele salami product , but the Salmonella didn't match the outbreak strains.

Some scientists believe pepper is the source of the outbreak and there has been a media report saying that Daniele is starting to irradiate the pepper it receives before adding it to meat products. For now, salami product at Daniele of Pascoag, Rhode Island, is on hold. 

If you or a loved one has been injured in this outbreak, contact a Salmonella lawyer at Pritzker Olsen by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or completing our contact form on the side of this Web page. We are a national food safety law firm and one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.

Pritzker Olsen has collected millions for victims of food poisoning and we are involved as an advocate for victims in practically every major outbreak.  

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UPDATE March 12, 2010 -- National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen continues to monitor the state and federal investigation into a Salmonella Montevideo outbreak that has sickened 249 people in 44 states and the District of Columbia. The probable cause of the outbreak is peppered salami manufactured by Daniele Inc. of Pascoag, Rhode Island. There is a strong association with black and red pepper used to make the salami.

Anyone affected by this outbreak may call Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) for answers to questions about your legal rights to Salmonella compensation. A lawyer will provide a free case consultation and you also can contact the firm by completing the form on the side of the Web page.

Salmonella infection is a serious and sometimes life-threatening matter for young children, older adults and anyone who has a weakened immune system. Salmonellosis is commonly overcome by healthy adults, but should not be taken lightly because it can have long-lasting medical consequences, including Reiter's Syndrome.

Extent of outbreak: The number of illnesses currently considered to be part of this outbreak is 249. Of 187 victims who provided information, 49 have been hospitalized (26%). No one has died. It started in early July 2009 and has spread to 44 states and Washington, D.C.. California, New York, Maine, Washington, Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, Georgia, South Dakota, Utah and North Carolina are leading states.

Investigating Agencies: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the outbreak. It is working with USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, Food and Drug Administration, and many state health agencies.

Cause of outbreak: State health laboratories in Iowa and Washington have used DNA fingerprinting to match the outbreak strain of Salmonella to two separate salami samples made by Daniele. In the Iowa case, the patient had kept some salami in the freezer. It came from the same type of Daniele sliced salami variety pack that  had been purchased by 12 other ill persons. RI Department of Health has found the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo in an open container of black pepper at Daniele's plant. The USDA found Salmonella in a previously unopened sample of salame panino with mozzarella that did not contain black pepper, prompting a recall of these products on February 16. The company believes crushed red pepper is the contaminant in the latest grouping. Testing has confirmed Salmonella in red and black pepper used by the company.

Salami Recall: Less than 24 hours after CDC announced the outbreak, Daniele Inc. announced the recall of 1.24 million pounds of peppered salami products, including variety packs containing peppered salami or salame. Brands involved in the recall include Daniele, Dietz & Watson, Boar's Head and Black Bear of the Black Forest. Recall has been expanded three times to include 17,235 pounds of hot sopressata calabres salami, 115,000 pounds of salame panino with mozzarella and more salami for a total of 1.4 million pounds. Look for USDA Establishment numbers EST 459, EST 54 or EST 9992. See the Food Safety Lawyer for a complete Salmonella salami recall listing.

Where the Salami was sold: FSIS has published a list of retailers nationwide that have handled salami covered under this Class I High Health Risk recall. The list includes large chains including Costco, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Kroger, Ralph's and Sam's Club. Click here (and scroll down) to see the complete, updated store listing. FDA is warning consumers some product still may be on store shelves and in home freezers or refrigerators.

Salmonella Senftenberg:  A different serotype of Salmonella has been found in food samples from retail and a patient household. Eight people have been infected by the same strain of Senftenberg since July 1.  Two of the six consumed a recalled salami product a week before falling ill. These are related by not included in the overall outbreak count.

Advice to Patients: People with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Infants, elderly persons and those with weakened immunes systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. When a patient seeks medical attention, it is important for physicians to order laboratory tests to detect the pathogens.

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