Friday, October 29, 2021

CDC Issues Food Safety Alert for Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Salame Sticks

CDC and FSIS issued a Food Safety Alert for Citterio brand Salame Sticks after that product was linked to 21 cases of salmonella infection, with 6 hospitalizations, across 8 states. Product was sold at Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and potentially other food retailers. Outbreak dates range from 9/19/21 to 10/3/21.  Euro Foods, a Freeland, Penn. establishment, produced the ready-to-eat (RTE) Italian-style salame stick products .

CDC Food Safety Alert
https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/i45-10-21/index.html
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Salami Sticks
Posted October 28, 2021
Fast Facts
Illnesses: 21 (1 new)
Hospitalizations: 6 (3 new)
Deaths: 0
States: 8
Recall: No
Investigation status: Active
Contaminated Food
Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks
Sold at Trader Joe’s and Wegmans
May be sold at other stores
Fifteen people were interviewed about foods they ate before getting sick, and fourteen (93%) reported eating or maybe eating this product. Investigators are still working to determine if additional products may be contaminated.


What You Should Do
Do not eat Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks with any best-by date. Throw them away.
Wash items and containers that may have touched the product using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:
Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
Bloody diarrhea
So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
Signs of dehydration, such as:
Not peeing much
Dry mouth and throat
Feeling dizzy when standing up
What Businesses Should Do
Do not sell or serve Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks.
Wash and sanitize items and surfaces that may have come in contact with the product.
Symptoms of Salmonella
Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days.
Some people—especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
For more information about Salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-salame-stick-products-due-possible-salmonella
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Salame Stick Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
FSIS Announcement

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert because Euro Foods, a Freeland, Penn. establishment, produced ready-to-eat (RTE) Italian-style salame stick products that may be contaminated with Salmonella. 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.

The Italian-style salame stick items were produced prior to October 25, 2021. The following product is subject to the public health alert [view labels]:

2-oz packages containing Citterio “Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks ALL NATURAL” with “best by” dates up to January 23, 2022, located next to the barcode.
The products subject to the public health alert bear establishment number “EST. 4010” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and exported to Bermuda.

FSIS has been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners to investigate a multistate outbreak of 21 Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- illnesses in eight states with onset dates ranging from September 18, 2021 through October 3, 2021. The epidemiologic and traceback investigation identified that ill people consumed Citterio Italian-style Salame Sticks produced by Euro Foods Inc. FSIS continues to work with federal and state public health partners to determine if there are additional illnesses linked to these products.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 6 hours to 6 days after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

MN Department of Health
News release: Salmonella cases linked to Salame Sticks (state.mn.us)
News Release
Oct. 22, 2021

Salmonella cases linked to Salame Sticks

State health officials advise Minnesotans not to eat Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) officials are warning Minnesota consumers not to eat Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks produced by Citterio and purchased at Trader Joe’s or other retailers after linking Salmonella infections to the product.

Three Minnesotans have been identified as part of this outbreak. The patients became ill between Sept. 20 and Sept. 26. One was hospitalized for two days, and all have recovered. All three cases report consuming Citterio Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks purchased at different Trader Joe’s locations. Health officials advise consumers to not eat any Citterio Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks they may have at home. Other brands of salami sticks and other Citterio products are not known to be affected at this time, but the investigation to determine the scope of the problem is ongoing. The CDC has posted a food safety notice about the outbreak on its website at Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Salami Sticks.

Since many cases of Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) do not seek health care and get tested, the number of ill people that are part of this outbreak is likely to be larger than the identified cases. Consequently, health officials want to bring this outbreak to the attention of people who have become ill with symptoms of salmonellosis but who have not yet consulted a health care provider. These people should mention this outbreak to their health care provider should they consult one.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. Symptoms usually begin within 12 to 96 hours after exposure, but they can begin up to two weeks after exposure. Infections usually clear in five to seven days, but about 28% of laboratory-confirmed cases require hospitalization. Many Salmonella infections in otherwise healthy people do not require medical treatment. More serious infections occasionally occur. For those who seek health care, most do not require antibiotics. However, antibiotic treatment may be warranted in some cases. If you’ve consumed the implicated product, become ill and are concerned about your health, consult your health care provider.

Approximately 700-975 Salmonella infections are reported each year in Minnesota. More information on Salmonella and how to prevent it can be found on the MDH website at Salmonellosis (Salmonella).

MDH is working with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on this ongoing investigation.

-MDH-
Media inquiries:
Doug Schultz
MDH Communications
Office: 651-201-4993
Cell: 612-250-2236
doug.schultz@state.mn.us

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