Euro Foods Dba Citterio USA Corp. Recalls Salame Stick Products Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2021 – Euro Foods, a Freeland, Penn. establishment, is recalling approximately 119,091 pounds of salame stick products that may be contaminated with Salmonella the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. FSIS issued a public health alert for the salame stick products on October 29, 2021, believing that the product was no longer in commerce. However, following this alert, FSIS observed product available at one retail location and two Citterio salame stick samples previously collected by the California Department of Public Health have tested positive for Salmonella.

The Italian-style salame stick items were produced prior to October 25, 2021. The following products are subject to recall [view label]:

• 2-oz. packages containing Citterio “Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks ALL NATURAL” with “best by” dates through January 23, 2022, located next to the barcode.

The products subject to recall 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 31 Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- illnesses in 10 states with onset dates ranging from September 18, 2021 through October 18, 2021. The epidemiologic and traceback investigation identified that ill people consumed Citterio Italian-style Salame Sticks produced by Euro Foods Inc. Two unopened, intact, packages of Citterio Italian-style Salame Sticks collected by the California Department of Public Health as part of the ongoing investigation tested positive for Salmonella. Further testing is ongoing to determine if the product samples are related to the outbreak. 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’ pantries or refrigerators. 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.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Joseph Petruce, Senior Vice President of Citterio USA, at (800) 435-8888 and joseph.petruce@citteriousa.com.

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/.