The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued several recalls involving meat products in the past few days. 10 tons of pork and beef tamales containing an allergen were recalled a few days ago. Before that, the agency issued meat recalls for 10,000 pounds of pork products and 24,461 pounds of frozen raw lamb shoulder. On top of that, the FSIS added another meat-related health alert on Friday, warning buyers not to consume certain salame sticks that you might still have in your fridge, as it might contain traces of Salmonella.
The salame Salmonella contamination
The FSIS explained in a press release that it’s not issuing a recall on the products because it has not identified a specific contaminated lot or lots. Also, the FSIS believes that retail consumers can no longer purchase the salame product in stores. The problem, of course, is that some of the contaminated products may have already been sold.
The salame sticks that were potentially contaminated with Salmonella come from Euro Foods. They were produced before October 25th and arrived in packaging with labels you can view at this link:
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.
Euro Foods delivered the salame sticks nationwide and exported them to Bermuda, the FSIS explains.
Why the warning is important even if it’s not a recall
The agency worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate a Salmonella outbreak. Twenty-one people in eight states became ill between September 18th and October 3rd. The investigation showed that the patients consumed Citterio Italian-style Salame Sticks produced by Euro Foods. The FSIS explained that it’s working with health agencies to determine whether or not the salame product caused additional cases.
FSIS reminds buyers that the Salmonella bacteria that can contaminate meat causes salmonellosis. It’s a common bacterial infection among people who consume contaminated products. Symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. These symptoms can present anywhere between six hours to six days after eating the contaminated product. The illness can last from four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. However, some may need hospitalization.
What you can do about the salame with Salmonella
If you still have the Citterio Italian-style Salame Sticks in your fridge, you should not continue to consume them. Throw them away or return them to the place of purchase if possible. You should be able to get your money back now that a warning has been issued by FSIS.
People who think they might need medical guidance should contact their health care providers. The FSIS announcement also contains contact details for USDA meat hotlines if you have additional questions about the Euro Foods salame health warning.
More meat recalls
The salame Salmonella contamination isn’t the only meat problem that should be on your radar. The pork and beef tamales the USDA recalled last week contained sesame, which is a common allergen. The ingredient did not appear on the package and sesame can cause severe allergic reactions in some people.
Then, 10,000 pounds of meat did not go through a proper inspection, so the USDA recalled it out of an abundance of caution. Similarly, the 24,461 pounds of frozen raw lamb shoulder arrived in the US without getting a proper import re-inspection.
