Salmonella Scare

Asian spices destroyed in salmonella scare
Published: April 17, 2009 at 2:17 PM

Officials in San Mateo County, Calif., say more than 86 area markets and restaurants have destroyed certain Asian spices linked to a salmonella scare.

The San Mateo County (Calif.) Times said Friday the widespread spice destruction comes in the wake of a Union International Food Co. voluntary recall of several types of Asian spices thought to carry a salmonella bacterial strain.

The recall was instituted on March 28 after Lian How and Uncle Chen brand pepper products produced at the company's Union City, Calif., plant were linked to 42 salmonella cases.

The salmonella cases all involved individuals who had eaten at Asian restaurants in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada that used the pepper products.

Since the recall began, an additional 12 people have reported related illnesses and the recall list has been expanded to include 34 of the factory's manufactured spices.

How the salmonella bacteria came to be in the spices remains a mystery, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has matched the strain in question to a strain found in products made in India and Vietnam, the Times said.


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