Certain mini parmesan salami sticks from Creminelli Fine Meats are part of a significant recall, as the product contains an egg protein known to cause allergies. The egg ingredient is part of the parmesan recipe but doesn’t appear on the salami sticks’ packaging. As a result, people who are allergic to eggs might accidentally eat the meat and experience potentially fatal side effects.
This recall follows a similar recall from late last year. But those salami sticks were pulled from store shelves due to Salmonella contamination.
Creminelli mini parmesan salami sticks recall
The company recently announced the recall, with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) publishing the press release at this link.
Creminelli is recalling 4,207 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) parmesan salami sticks. That’s more than 2 tons of meat products.
Inspection personnel discovered the misbranding during a routine label verification. The product contains egg white lysozyme, an ingredient in some cheeses. But that protein can also cause allergic reactions to people with egg allergies and it is not declared on the label.
The company produced the mini parmesan salami sticks in the recall from October 26th, 2021, through April 26th, 2022. Creminelli sold the product in various retail locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Utah. They were available nationwide via online sales, so people across the country are affected.
Anyone who purchased Creminelli mini parmesan salami sticks recently should look for the following identifiers:
- 2.6-oz. plastic pouches containing “CREMINELLI FINE MEATS salami minis UNCURED ITALIAN SALAMI PARMESAN” with “BEST BY” dates from 06/18/22 through 12/09/22.
- Establishment number “EST34644” stamped on the back of the product packaging next to the best by date
Why egg allergies can be dangerous
The recall announcement says there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to the consumption of these mini parmesan salami sticks. However, people allergic to eggs are still at risk.
According to the Mayo Clinic, egg allergy symptoms resemble other food allergy symptoms. They can set within a few minutes to a few hours after exposure.
People may experience skin inflammation or hives; nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing; cramps, nausea, and vomiting; and coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.
Finally, anaphylaxis is a potentially fatal complication of egg allergies. The airways constrict to such a degree that breathing becomes difficult or impossible. You can experience abdominal pain and cramping, a rapid pulse, or even shock with a severe drop in blood pressure. The latter often presents as dizziness, lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness.
What you should do
If you are not allergic to eggs, you can still eat the mini parmesan salami sticks in the Creminelli recall.
However, keeping products containing undeclared allergens around the house is not a good idea if friends or family suffer from life-threatening allergies. There’s always a chance of you serving the salami sticks to a guest with an egg allergy that you’re unaware of.
Therefore, the company urges consumers not to consume these salami sticks. They should return the product to the place of purchase or throw it out.
The press release doesn’t explicitly mention refunds, but you can reach out to Creminelli with questions. You’ll find complete contact information at this link. The recall does not seem to apply to other products manufactured by the same company.
My Opinion
I love Creminelli products, especially the company’s soppresata. Joe Bastianich had a store called Tarry Market in Port Chester, NY and I would hit the Creminelli hard. Brands recall products all the time, but since this is a very sensitive one that has to do with an allergy, we recommend you follow the recall instructions and be careful on where you consume or serve this product to be extra careful and safe.
UPDATE: This post was originally published on June 29th and has been updated with new recall details.
