PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Health officials in Rhode Island say black pepper used in salami is the possible cause of a salmonella outbreak that sickened people in 40 states.
The Rhode Island Department of Health said Thursday that tests showed the same strain of salmonella that sickened at least 189 people was also found in two open containers of pepper at Daniele International Inc.’s facility in Burrillville.
The meat company recalled 1.2 million pounds of pepper-coated salami on Saturday, after officials traced the outbreak to something in the salami.
Spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth says the health department won’t be sure the pepper is the cause until tests on unopened pepper containers come back. She says those results are expected in two to three days.
