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Spices Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

By PritzkerLaw

At least 42 people, including 33 in California, have been sickened by the same strain of Salmonella -- an outbreak that health investigators have linked to white and black pepper spices sold by Union International Food Co. of California.

The company has recalled its pepper spices and other seasonings, including cayenne pepper, paprika, chopped onion, onion powder, garlic, curry powder, mustard powder, and wasabi powder. The spices have been distributed to retail stores and restaurants under the Lian How and Uncle Chen brand names. Much of the product was sold to Chinese and Vietnamese establishments.

Dr. William Keene, senior epidemiologist in the Public Health Division of the Oregon Department of Human Services, said in a news release that the outbreak strain is Salmonella enterica serotype Rissen. He said there are four known cases in Oregon, all in the Portland metro area, and that the same strain is linked to Salmonella illnesses in Washington and Nevada.

The spices were sold mostly in California and Oregon. Packages, which ranged in size from five-ounce plastic jars to 2.2-pound foil bags to 15-pound cardboard boxes with plastic liners, were labled "Packed by Union International Foods" or "Union National Foods.''.

Mark Horton, director of California Department of Public Health, said in a press release March 28 that consumers should avoid eating spices from Union International Food Co. In eight of the 42 cases confirmed since December, eight people were hospitalized.

For young children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems, Salmonella infection can be fatal, but no fatalities have been associated so far with the spice outbreak. Symptoms of Salmonella  include diarreha, cramps and fever with an onset of illness between 12 and 72 hours after exposure to the organism.

PritzkerOlsen P.A., has considerable experience and a reputation for success in representing survivors of foodborne illnesses, including Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Shigella. The firm is involved in virtually every national outbreak and has collected large sums on behalf of people injured or killed by adulterated food. In addition, the firm is devoted  to educating the public about food safety issues and advocating for badly needed food safety legislative changes.

To contact a Salmonella attorney at PritzkerOlsen, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or complete a free online case consultation form .

 Keene said Oregon health investigators were the first to confirm Salmonella in Lian How pepper after they began testing products of interest in their investigation. He said health officials in California and Nevada quickly thereafter discovered that the same pepper was in use at restaurants in those states where Salmonella cases had been confirmed.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on March 30, 2009 (boomark / email).