Health Law

Salmonella, spices, and what Daniele and Wholesome should have known

By Drew Falkenstein

A reader's comments about the journal post this morning titled "Unanswered questions remain in the Salmonella salami/pepper outbreak:"

As a former owner of a spice company that did extensive work with food processors, I agree that the public has a right to know the information pertaining to this outbreak. However, using and/or selling untreated pepper is much akin to playing Russian Rullette with 5 bullets in the chamber. The price you pay to have pepper treated to lower micro's and eliminate things like e-coli, salmonella, and mold is nominal compared to the potential damage allowing untreated product to go out the door. I place the blame on three equally guilty parties; the importer who bought and shipped this product without testing or probably not requiring testing at the shipping point, Wholesome spice for selling product that they did not take due care to make sure micro's were within acceptable specification from ASTA (American Spice Trade Assoc), and Daniele's for accepting inferior product probably due to price considerations and not requiring COA's (Certificate of Analysis) that would show testing for and reduction of salmonella

This is products liability 101 with a good dose of concern for public health.  Well said.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on January 29, 2010 (boomark / email).