Rhode Island Firm Recalls Italian Sausage Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contami

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WASHINGTON, January 23, 2010 - Daniele International Inc., an establishment with operations in Pascoag and Mapleville, R.I., is recalling approximately 1,240,000 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame, in commerce and potentially available to customers in retail locations because they may be contaminated with Salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

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. The CDC has posted information about the multi-state outbreak on its website (http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella) but the investigation is ongoing, and has not yet definitively identified a food vehicle(s).

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 product tested was similar to products bought by customers who later became sick in the Montevideo investigation, but currently there is not a direct link. 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. FSIS is continuing to work with the CDC, affected state public health partners, and the company on the investigation and will update the public on the progress of this investigation as information becomes available.

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.

The products subject to recall include [View Labels, PDF One, PDF Two]:

• 10-ounce packages of "DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
• Catch weight packages of "DANIELE PEPPER SALAME."
• 9-ounce packages of "BLACK BEAR OF THE BLACK FOREST BABY GENOA PEPPER SALAME."
• 20-ounce packages of "DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SMOKED SALAME, PEPPERED SALAME, RUSTIC SALAME."
• 340- and 454-gram packages of "DANIELE SURTIDO FINO ITALIANO, SALAMI GENOA CON PIMIENTA, LOMO CAPOCOLLO, SALAMI CALABRESE."
• 16-ounce packages of "DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO."
• 8-ounce packages of "DIETZ & WATSON ARTISAN COLLECTION PARTY PLATTER PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO."
• 8-ounce packages of "DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO."
• 16-ounce packages of "DANIELE GOURMET COMBO PACK, PEPPER SALAME, CAPOCOLLO, CALABRESE."
• 500-gram packages of "DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK EMBALLAGE ASSORTI GOURMET ITALIEN, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, CALABRESE PIQUANT, SALAMI AU POIVRE, HOT CAPOCOLLO, CAPOCOLLO PIQUANT."
• 8-ounce packages of "BOAR'S HEAD BRAND ALL NATURAL SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
• Catch weight packages of "DIETZ & WATSON ARTISAN COLLECTION, BABY GENOA PEPPER SALAME, MADE WITH 100% PORK COATED WITH BLACK PEPPER AND PORK FAT."
• 20-ounce variety packages of "DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SWEET SOPRESSATA, PEPPERED GENOA, MILANO SALAME."
• 21-ounce variety packages of "DANIELE GOURMET ITALIAN DELI SELECTION, SWEET SOPRESSATA SALAMI, PEPPERED GENOA SALAMI, HOT SOPRESSATA SALAMI, MILANO SALAMI, SALAMI SOPRESSATA DOUX, SALAMI GENOA POIVRÉ, SALAMI SOPRESSATA PIQUANT, SALAMI MILANO."
• 7-ounce packages of "DANIELE SALAME BITES PEPPER SALAME."
• 14-ounce packages of "DANIELE GOURMET ITALIAN DELI SELECTION ASSORTMENT DE FINES CHARCUTERIE ITALIENNE, SWEET SOPRESSATA SALAMI, MILANO SALAMI, SALAMI SOPRESSATA DOUX, SALAMI MILANO."
• Catch weight packages of "DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
• 32-ounce variety packages of "DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SWEET SOPRESSATA, PEPPERED GENOA, MILANO SALAME."

Each package bears a label with establishment number "EST. 9992" or "EST. 54" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The establishment is recalling all the products listed above which are currently in commerce. These products were distributed to retail establishments nationwide, as well as internationally. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers (including restaurants) of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Media and consumer questions regarding the recall should be directed to the company's Hotline at (888) 345-4160 and its PR contact, Levick at (202) 973-1335.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.

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Daniele International Inc. is expanding its Jan. 23 recall to include some 17,235 pounds of ready-to-eat Italian sausage products that may be contaminated with Salmonella, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced over the weekend. (See Salmonella fears prompt 1.2 million-lb. sausage recall, on Meatingplace, Jan. 25, 2010.)

The recall is being expanded due to a confirmed finding of Salmonella in an unopened salami product reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The product was sampled during an ongoing investigation of a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella serotype Montevideo illnesses. The product tested was not included in the previous recall, but is similar to products bought by customers who later became sick in the Montevideo investigation, and may have been cross-contaminated with black pepper before it was packed. USDA said the company believes that black pepper is a possible source of Salmonella contamination.

The products subject to recall include:

• 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.

Each package bears a label with establishment number "EST. 54" inside the USDA mark of inspection and weighs about 3-to-3.5 pounds. These products were distributed to retail establishments nationwide.

Further testing is ongoing at a state health partner laboratory, and may determine if the product contained the Salmonella Montevideo strain associated with the multi-state outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control has posted information about the multi-state outbreak on its website (www.cdc.gov/salmonella) but the investigation is ongoing, and has not yet definitively identified a food vehicle.

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As part of the continuing investigation, this recall release is being updated on February 4, 2010, to include two additional products, adding approximately 23,754 pounds to the January 23 recall. It should be noted that these additional products are separate from those listed on the January 31 expansion.

The two additional products are:
3-ounce packages of "DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
Approximately 6-pound packages of "DANIELE SALAME GRANDE COATED WITH PORK FAT & PEPPER."