Daniele International Inc. has recalled 1.4 million pounds of various ready-to-eat meats over the last two months due to Salmonella Montevideo contamination, a strain that has sickened 252 people over 44 states since July the 4th of last year. Now, the company has filed lawsuits against two suppliers and has suffered a significant loss in profit due to the outbreak.
Lawsuits against Daniele by those who have become infected with salmonella food poisoning continue to rise, as public trust in the company remains low. Daniele has implemented a new safety system, and has filed suit against Wholesome Spice and Seasonings Inc. and the Mincing Trading Corporation citing existing and future monetary losses. These were two of the company’s largest pepper suppliers, and Daniele purchased 90,000 pounds of pepper from these two suppliers in 2009 according to the lawsuit.
Daniele was forced to refund $1.5 million to customers and has recalled 1.4 million pounds of its products due to the pepper used to coat many of the meat products it manufactures, such as Italian-style salami. The Salmonella Montevideo outbreak was linked in early March to black pepper used in production by Daniele by the Rhode Island Department of Health and other health officials. The US Department of Agriculture determined that the contaminated pepper used by Daniele in processing its meats had been supplied by Wholesome and Mincing. According to Daniele’s website, they now use only irradiated spices in the production of their products and have terminated relationships with the two suppliers.
Mincing and Wholesome recalled several of their products based on the findings of the Department of Agriculture, including black pepper, ground red pepper and crushed red pepper packaged in 20, 25 and 50 pound cartons. The lawsuit blames the two spice manufacturers of negligence and breach of contract specifically.
Salmonella food poisoning produces only mild symptoms in healthy individuals, but can result in serious complications in those most at risk including young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. If you suspect salmonella food poisoning, seek medical attention. Find out more about your rights and possible monetary compensation by contacting a reputable New York food poisoning attorney.
