Food Safety

Rhode Island processor recalls more than a million pounds of RTE meats

Italian sausage products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Daniele International Inc., with operations in Pascoag and Mapleville, RI, recalled approximately 1.2 million pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame. The products are already in the supply chain and are potentially available to customers in retail locations. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the meat products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

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), FDA, FSIS, state health and agriculture departments, and Daniele International are cooperating in this ongoing investigation. The CDC has posted information, although the investigation has not yet definitively identified a food vehicle.

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. The product tested was similar to products bought by customers who later became sick in the Montevideo investigation, but a direct link has not been established. 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.

An update from FDA can be found here.