Massive Salami Recall: 1.24 Million Pounds Affected

More than 1.24 million pounds of pepper-coated salami from a Rhode Island meat company have been recalled after being linked to an outbreak of the foodborne bacteria salmonella.

The ready-to-eat meat from Daniele International Inc. has been associated with a salmonella outbreak that began in July 2009 and has been blamed for sickening 184 people in 38 states, the US Department of Agriculture said. Health officials are not sure whether it is the meat or the pepper coating that is causing the outbreak of illness.

Salmonella causes symptoms including diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps in most people within 12 to 72 hours of infection.  The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.  While most healthy individuals develop only mild to moderate symptoms, the elderly and frail, young children, and those with compromised immune systems such as HIV and cancer patients are at high risk of developing severe illness from salmonella poisoning.

Investigators in the state of Washington determined that many of the 14 residents who got sick there had shopped at Costco, where the tainted salami was sold. A preliminary study of 39 patients and 39 well persons suggested salami as a possible source of the illness, officials said.

The study found 51 percent of ill people said they ate salami, compared to 15 percent of well people. Another 11 people who suffered salmonella poisoning reported purchasing the same type of sliced salami variety pack at different grocery store locations before becoming ill.

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.

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