Do not eat, sell or serve Citterio brand premium Italian-style salami sticks, which have been recalled after California health officials found salmonella bacteria in the products, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency responsible for developing and implementing actions for disease prevention and control, among other issues, said California officials found salmonella in two unopened packages of Citterio brand Italian-style premium salami sticks.
She said that among the 23 people interviewed about the foods they ate before becoming ill, 22 - 96 percent - reported having eaten or perhaps having eaten it.
In light of this, researchers are continuing to work to determine whether other products may actually be contaminated.
So far, the CDC has found 31 people sick with salmonella from the product - all of them in California - and six of them have had to be hospitalized.
What the consumer should do
CDC calls for Do NOT eat Citterio brand premium Italian style salami sticks. recalled. And if you have the product at home, you should throw them away or return them to the store.
Wash items and containers that may have touched the removed product with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.
And call your health care provider if you have any of the serious symptoms of salmonellosis, such as diarrhea and fever higher than 102° F (38° C); diarrhea for more than 3 days that doesn't get better with blood; vomiting so much that you can't keep liquids down; and signs of dehydration, such as: not urinating enough, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when you stand up.
What points of sale should do
For all establishments that have this product, the CDC calls on them NOT to sell or serve it, and they have already been removed from the market.
They also ask that items and surfaces that may have been in contact with the product, if applicable, be washed and disinfected.
Symptoms of Salmonella
Most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, while symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after ingesting the bacteria.
Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days, however, some people, especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years of age or older, and people with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.
For more information about salmonellosis, you can consult the CDC's Q&A page on this disease.
On Nov. 10, the Euro Foods chain in Freeland, Penn., began recalling approximately 119,091 pounds of the salami in question, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.
FSIS issued a public health alert for salami stick products on October 29, 2021, however the product continues to be marketed. Following this alert, FSIS observed the product available at a retail store, and two samples of Citterio salami sticks previously collected by the California Department of Public Health tested positive for Salmonella.
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