The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with state public-health officials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo.

As of 9 p.m. Monday, 189 individuals in 40 states have been infected with a matching strain, and 37 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologists analyzed the foods that patients ate, and preliminary findings point to Italian sausage and salami products from Rhode Island-based Daniele International Inc.

The company has recalled 1.2 million pounds of products, including artisan and natural brands like:

• Boar’s Head All-Natural Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper (8-ounce packages)
• Daniele Naturale Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper (10-ounce packages)
• Dietz & Watson Artisan Collection Party Platter Pack

A full list of recalled products, which are sold through grocers and delis, is available here.

This is a Class I recall, which signifies “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

The CDC and its public-health partners are now trying to determine which ingredients were contaminated, how the contamination occurred and whether any other foods may be involved. They suspect the pepper in the salami’s coating may be tainted.

If you have any questions, call the Daniele International hotline: (888) 345-4160.