Trader Joe’s Salami Snacks Tied to 20 Salmonella Cases in Eight States

TUESDAY, Oct. 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Citterio Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks, sold primarily at Trader Joe's, have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak with 20 reported cases in eight states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Most of the patients (80 percent) are younger than 18 years. Three people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported, the agency said in a statement on the outbreak. The outbreak includes residents of California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The actual number of sick people is likely higher than the reported number, and the outbreak may not be limited to states with known illnesses.

Trader Joe's grocery stores have stopped selling the products. Consumers with the products -- regardless of best-by date or where they were bought -- should throw them away, the CDC said.

Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps six hours to six days after being exposed to the bacteria. Children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.

Each year, Salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States, the CDC estimates. Earlier this month, the CDC warned consumers about another Salmonella outbreak, with fresh onions identified as the source of infections across 37 states.

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