USDA says 862,000lbs of sausage, salami and other meats recalled

The US Department of Agriculture has announced a massive meat recall that covers around 862,000 pounds of Italian meats, including sausage, salami, coppa, prosciutto, and soppressata. The recalled units have Best-By dates that span all the way from August of this year to February of next year; they were shipped to stores across the US.

The recall was published on August 27; it comes from Fratelli Beretta USA, which reports that these units may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall follows a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella, a public health issue that the CDC and USDA's FSIS traced back to trays of uncured antipasto from Fratelli Beretta.

The USDA notes that its FSIS and the CDC are still investigating the outbreak to determine whether other food products may also be involved in this outbreak. Only some of the individuals who contracted Salmonella as part of this outbreak reported consuming the Fratelli Beretta antipasto products.

The recall involves Fratelli's 24-ounce trays containing two individual 12-ounce packages of the various cured Italian meats listed above. Consumers can identify the recalled units by looking for the Best-By dates listed in the recall advisory and the establishment number "EST. 7543B."

Though some of the recalled units have already passed their Best-By dates, the USDA's FSIS notes that some consumers may still have these cured meats in their fridges. Anyone who bought one of these products is encouraged to return the item for a refund or throw it in the trash uneaten.