January 26, 2010

Italian sausage products recalled on possible salmonella contamination

Daniele International Inc., is recalling approximately 1.24 million pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame, due to possible salmonella contamination.

FSIS became aware of the problem during the course of an ongoing investigation of a multi-state outbreak of salmonella serotype Montevideo illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FSIS, state health and agriculture departments, and Daniele International are cooperating in this investigation.

During the course of that investigation, a sample of product found in commerce was tested on behalf of a participating state department of health and found to contain salmonella, which FSIS has a zero tolerance for in RTE products.

The salmonella strain in the tested product does not appear to be the Montevideo strain of interest and further testing of the sample is ongoing at a state health partner laboratory.

In addition, the company presented information to FSIS and took the additional action to voluntarily recall all products in commerce associated with black pepper, which the company believes is a possible source of contamination.