Zeppole Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Food Safety Introspection in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island zeppole Salmonella outbreak that killed two elderly men and sickened more than 75 others has prompted some soul-searching inside the state over whether seven state food safety inspectors can adequately monitor the 8,000 food facilities, including bakeries and restaurants, that are located throughout the state.
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To thoroughly inspect, just once a year, each of the 8,000 places that make or serve food, Rhode Island would need about 26 inspectors doing 300 inspections a year. Neighboring states have far more food safety inspectors per number of institutions that require inspection, according to the Providence Journal.
The zeppole Salmonella outbreak has been associated with baked goods from DeFusco's, where post-outbreak inspection found multiple food safety problems. The outbreak started in March with the traditional serving of cream-filled zeppole as part of the celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph in the Italian-American community. The first major indication came at a nursing home in Warwick where more than 10 residents fell ill days after DeFusco's zeppoles were delivered as a treat.
Questions about a zeppole Salmonella lawsuit are being handled by national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A.., at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or online via our contact form. Our legal group is one of the very few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning. We are involved in practically all major outbreaks on behalf of victims and we hold food corporations and insurance companies accountable for the short-term and long-term harms caused by contaminated food.
