An outbreak of salmonella in 14 states has been linked to charcuterie trays sold at Sam's Club stores.
At least two dozen people were sickened after eating the items, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Five people were so sick, they had to be hospitalized.
The recalled products are labeled "Bussetto Food Charcuterie Sampler Prosciutto, Sweet Soppressata and Dry Copa" and have a best-by date of April 27.
More than 11,000 pounds of meat products have been recalled.
The products are sold as a twin pack with two 9-oz. packages that contain lot code L075330300 and "BEST IF USED BY APR 27 24." The recalled items also include the establishment number "EST. 7543B" inside the USDA mark of inspection and "EST. #47967" printed with the lot and date codes.
The charcuterie trays were shipped to Sam's Club distribution centers in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.
Illnesses have been reported in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Each state has reported one case of illness expect for Ohio, which has reported 11 cases.
Sick people range in age from 16 to 91 years.
Health officials interviewed patients about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of those interviewed, more than half reported eating a variety of ready-to-eat charcuterie meat products and three people remembered the specific product or had records showing a purchase, the CDC added.
On December 27, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture collected and tested a sample of an unopened charcuterie tray from a patient's home. Results showed it was positive for the outbreak Salmonella strain.
At this time, the investigation is ongoing to determine which individual component of the sampler tray may have been the source of contamination and whether similar products are contaminated.
The CDC noted that the true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Eating food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. 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 cases, 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.
Most people with salmonella illness recover without antibiotics. However, if antibiotics are needed, the CDC noted that some illnesses in this outbreak may be difficult to treat with some commonly recommended antibiotics.
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