More people infected in Salmonella outbreak traced to salami stick snacks

Health officials have confirmed that 10 more patients have been infected from Salmonella in an outbreak traced to salami sticks, and almost 60 tons of the product is now under recall.

The patient total stands at 31, according to a recall notice posted by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). That total is as of Nov. 10 and is being reported as part of a joint investigation by FSIS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, the CDC has not updated its outbreak page since Oct. 28 and is still showing only 21 patients across eight states with six people hospitalized. 

The FSIS information shows the outbreak is continuing.

“FSIS has been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health partners to investigate a multistate outbreak of 31 Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- illnesses in 10 states with onset dates ranging from Sept. 18, 2021 through Oct. 18, 2021” according to the FSIS recall notice.

The most recent information from the CDC has the most recent outbreak patient having become ill on Oct. 3 and lists patients as living in only eight states.

According to the CDC’s Oct. 28 update, the sick people range in age from 2 to 75 years old, with a median age of 12. Most of the sick people, 81 percent, are younger than 18. Of 18 people with information available, six have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

“Among 15 people interviewed, all reported eating salami sticks, and 14 reported eating or maybe eating Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks. Thirteen people bought Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks from Trader Joe’s, and one person bought them from Wegmans grocery store,” according to the CDC. The agency also reports that the salami sticks may have been sold by other retailers.

On Nov. 1 the FSIS issued a public alert about the salami sticks, but “a recall was not requested because FSIS has not identified a specific contaminated lot or lots, and it is believed that potentially affected products are no longer available to be directly purchased by retail consumers.”

That belief changed when the FSIS discovered the product was available at at least one retail location and two Citterio “salame” stick samples previously collected by the California Department of Public Health tested positive for Salmonella. Those samples were still in their original packaging.

With the new information came a recall of 59.5 tons of the salami stick snacks. The recall, posted by the FSIS on Nov. 10, says there is concern that some of the salami sticks may still be in consumers’ pantries or refrigerators. The agency is urging consumers who have purchased these products not to consume them.

The FSIS is stressing that the outbreak investigation is ongoing and is asking consumers to use the following information to determine whether they have the recalled salami snacks in their homes:

• 2-oz. packages containing Citterio “Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks ALL NATURAL” with “best by” dates through Jan. 23, 2022, located next to the barcode.

The product subject to recall also has the establishment number “EST. 4010” inside the USDA mark of inspection on its packaging. The salami stick snacks were shipped to retail locations nationwide and exported to Bermuda.

The salami sticks are a product of Euro Foods, a Freeland, PA, company, which is the recalling entity. It produced the recalled products prior to Oct. 25.