Two-Sided FDA Probe of Salami Salmonella Outbreak
The Food and Drug Administration is looking closer at the handling of spices from grower to end-user as it also continues to probe a Salmonella Montevideo outbreak related to red and black pepper in Daniele salami products.
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The salami outbreak has prompted Daniele Salmonella litigation and national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is representing victims. The firm is continuing to accept cases from the outbreak and victims can receive a free consultation by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing the information panel on the side of this Web page.
In its probe of the Daniele salami outbreak, FDA is working with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and others to determine the extent to which pepper played a role. The outbreak has sickened more than 245 people in 44 states and has hospitalized more than 60. It started last July.
In the latest FDA report on the salami Salmonella outbreak, the agency said it has collected 153 composite pepper samples at various locations in the supply chain. Samples from four products collected at Daniele International Inc. in Rhode Island tested positive for Salmonella. Samples of crushed red pepper have tested positive for the outbreak strain.
FDA also said it collected samples of pepper from commercial customers (besides Daniele) of Mincing Overseas Spice Company and Wholesome Spice Company. Thus far, two of the samples collected have tested positive for types of Salmonella not associated with the outbreak. The findings prompted Heartland Foods Inc. to recall course ground pepper and Mincing Overseas Spice Company to recall black pepper lot 3309.
The overall review of bacterial contamination of spices started last spring and involves developing a spice risk profile. It is designed to help identify what the industry and food safety inspectors can do differently to guard against pathogens. Some members of the spice industry have already agreed to provide data to FDA for the risk profile, which will help the agency decide how to allocate its prevention resources or possibly make new rules.
