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The CDC updated its statement on the large Salmonella outbreak linked to now-recalled salami and red and black pepper. According to the CDC’s April 1 statement, the outbreak has sickened 252 people in 44 states and the District of Columbia. The outbreak strain of Salmonella is Montevideo, but Salmonella Senftenberg has also been found in
More companies recalling black pepper . . . a little late in the game
Yesterday, yet another company announced a recall of products containing black pepper sold by Mincing Overseas Spice Company. The company that announced yesterday’s recall is John B. Sanfilippo and Sons, from Elgin, Illinois. The FDA’s recall notice states as follows:
As a follow up to the voluntary recall of black pepper from Mincing Overseas
Black pepper recall grows
The FDA announced yesterday that yet another company is recalling black pepper products as a result of Salmonella contamination. This recall is related to the Mincing Overseas Spice Company recall that occurred on the heels of a major salmonella outbreak linked to Salami products manufactured and sold by Daniele Inc.
The FDA announcement reads as
Update on Daniele salami/pepper Salmonella outbreak
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Yesterday, the CDC updated the case count in the Salmonella outbreak linked to recalled salami from Daniele Inc., red pepper from Wholesome Spice, and likely black pepper as well. A total of 245 people are now counted by the CDC as cases in this outbreak, coming from 44 states and the District of Columbia. But this
More on black pepper recall due to Salmonella contamination
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Yesterday, Heartland Foods, Inc., an Indianapolis, Indiana company recalled "all sizes/containers of COARSE GROUND BLACK PEPPER shipped from their facility at 6815 E. 34th Street, Indianapolis IN. Potential distribution took place on or after October 19th, 2009 to February 17th, 2010."
This recall comes on the heels of a major national outbreak linked to pepper-coated salami
Heartland Foods Inc. Recalls Black Pepper
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Heartland Foods, Inc. of Indianapolis is voluntarily recalling all sizes/containers of COARSE GROUND BLACK PEPPER shipped from their facility at 6815 E. 34th Street, Indianapolis IN. Potential distribution took place on or after October 19th, 2009 to February 17th, 2010. These products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause
Spices: emerging threat or clear and present danger?
Over the last several years, there have been multiple outbreaks linked to, and recalls of, various kinds of spices. From white pepper, to red pepper, to black pepper and beyond, spices are a potentially ideal vehicle for the transmission of foodborne disease. More and more people are becoming ill from contaminated spices, and more and more recalls are occurring. So is this problem merely an emerging threat? Or is it a problem that food producers must confront here and now, finding ways to better ensure the safety of the consumers they profit from.
Spice outbreaks in recent history:
1. Veggie Booty
In May 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a multi-state investigation in response to an increase in laboratory reports, first posted on PulseNet on April 2, 2007, of Salmonella Wandsworth. Salmonella Wandsworth is a very rare serotype that was never before implicated in a U.S. outbreak. As of September 6, 2007, there were 69 reported cases of Salmonella Wandsworth in 23 states and 14 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium in six states who became ill after consuming Veggie Booty, a puffed vegetable snack food with a raw, dried vegetable coating. A total of 61 bags of Veggie Booty were ultimately tested in twelve states. Salmonella was isolated from thirteen of them. Eleven of the thirteen bags were positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Wandsworth, and one bag was positive for Salmonella Typhimurium and Enterobacter sakazakii. One bag also tested positive for Salmonella Kentucky, and Salmonella Haifa and Saintpaul were isolated from other bags.
The Union International Food outbreak sickened more than 79 people in Western states between December 2008 and April 2009; the majority of the illnesses were in California. Public health officials traced the outbreak to white pepper manufactured by Union International and sold under the brand names Uncle Chen and Lian How. Ultimately the company recalled more than 50 products, including spices, oils, and sauces, due to potential contamination with Salmonella.
3. Wholesome Spice Company and Overseas Spice
This outbreak and recall is, of course, still going on. According to the CDC just days ago, 238 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo, which displays either of two closely related pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, have been reported from 44 states and District of Columbia since July 1, 2009. Epidemiological investigation showed that these 238 sick people all ate Daniele Inc salami products contaminated by salmonella. Daniele used salmonella-contaminated pepper in the production of the various kinds of recalled salami.
4. Today’s recall of Johnny’s brand French dip au jus powder?
Will the Johnny’s recall, announced today out of Tacoma, Washington, be another recall or outbreak to add to this list? The ingredient list for the recalled prodcut states that it contains: ‘MSG, Wheat, Soy & Milk; Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn, soy, wheat), yeast extract, salt, rice flour, monosodium glutamate, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soy & cottonseed), caramel color, whey solids, non-fat milk solids, mono & diglycerides." Only time will tell, hopefully, what happened at Johnny’s to prompt today’s recall. Spices? Certainly possible.
The historical trend:
These kinds of events naturally prompt the question why are we suddenly seeing outbreaks and recalls linked to pepper and other spices. Is this truly a new phenomenon; a new species of failure by food importers and producers?
Continue Reading Spices: emerging threat or clear and present danger?
Salmonella contaminated pepper and salami: is the outbreak over?
There has been no further word on the massive Salmonella outbreak that sparked a major recall by Daniele Inc. of salami products distributed nationally. The latest CDC update on the outbreak was on February 18, at which point the CDC had identified 233 illnesses in 44 states linked to the outbreak. But as of the date
Another lawsuit filed in Salmonella outbreak linked to salami and black pepper
Today Marler Clark filed a lawsuit on behalf of Raymond Cirimele, another victim of the Salmonella outbreak linked to salami manufactured by Daniele, Inc., and black pepper sold by Wholesome Spice Company and Overseas Spice Company. Another suit was filed on behalf of a Missouri man named Lee Hanks last week.
Raymond Cirimele regularly purchased
The Silence of the Pepper Continues
It is Sunday, February 7, 2010; fifteen full days since Daniele Inc announced a recall of its salami products; and almost as long since the companies and investigating health authorities involved have either suspected or known that the ultimate source of illness in this large, and possibly growing outbreak, is black pepper. But we, the