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Salmonella Spice Outbreak -- Recall Expanded

By PritzkerLaw

The California food wholesaler whose spices have been linked to a multi-state Salmonella outbreak in the West has expanded its consumer product recall to include all Uncle Chen and Lian How sauces, oils and oil blends.

Union International Food Co. of Union City also said its recall now covers all types of dry spice products in 15-pound and smaller containers and 30-pound boxes and smaller packages of crushed chili.

All the products may be contaminated with Salmonella, the company said.

The recalls started in March, when the company's Uncle Chen and Lian How brand pepper was suspected of causing the outbreak, which initially was described as sickening more than 20 people in California, Nevada and Oregon.

Officials are still investigating the multi-state Salmonella outbreak. Salmonella was ultimately isolated from an open container of Lian How White Pepper, which was found at a restaurant where some outbreak victims ate. Union International said the chili sauce, sesame oil and chili oil products have not been linked to the outbreak but the company said it was "acting with an abundance of caution.''

The list of oils and sauces in the latest recall include 100 Percent Pure Sesame Oil, Chinese Sesame Oil, Chinese Style Sesame, Jaisun Sesame Oil, Jaisun Blended Soybean and Sesame Oil, 100 Percent Black Sesame Oil, Chili Oil, Chili Sauce, Hot Bean Sauce, Hunan Red Chili Sauce, Sweet Flour Sauce, Fresh Ground Chili Paste, Garlic Chili Extra Hot Sauce and Superior Red Chili Oil.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., currently is representing Salmonella victims, including the families of three women who died from Salmonella infections in the national outbreak caused by Peanut Corp. of America. The infectious bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and other people who have weakened immune systems.

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

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on April 17, 2009 (boomark / email).