Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo Infections Linked to Tahini Sesame Paste

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• A total of eight persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Montevideo or Salmonella Mbandaka have been reported from six states.
  • The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: California (1), Minnesota (2), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Texas (2), and Wisconsin (1).
  • No ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
• Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that tahini sesame paste distributed by Krinos Foods, LLC of Long Island City, New York is the likely source of this outbreak.          
  • During routine product testing at a retail store, the Michigan Department of Agriculture isolated Salmonella Montevideo from Krinos brand tahini sesame paste.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration isolated Salmonella Mbandaka from imported tahini sesame paste collected from shipments arriving in the United States for distribution by Krinos Foods.
• On April 28, 2013, Krinos Foods recalled its tahini sesame paste because of potential contamination with Salmonella.
  • On May 9, 2013, the recall was expanded to include additional expiration dates.
  • The recalled lots have expiration dates from January 1, 2014 to June 8, 2014 and from October 16, 2014 to March 15, 2015.
• CDC recommends that consumers do not eat recalled Krinos brand tahini sesame paste and discard any remaining product.
  • This product has a long shelf-life, and it may still be in people’s homes.

May 22, 2013

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in several states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka infections. Results from this ongoing investigation indicate that tahini sesame paste distributed by Krinos Foods, LLC of Long Island City, New York is the likely source of this outbreak.  

Public health investigators are using DNA “fingerprints” of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections. These strains of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka have very rarely been seen before in PulseNet. Before this outbreak, these strains of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka had been reported only 29 and 4 times, respectively.

A total of eight ill persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Montevideo (two persons) or Salmonella Mbandaka (six persons) have been reported from six states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: California (1), Minnesota (2), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Texas (2), and Wisconsin (1).