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APA Rhode Island meat company recalled 1.24 million pounds of pepper-coated salami on Saturday, after officials conducting a months-long, multistate investigation of a salmonella outbreak compared shopping receipts of those who got sick. The recall by Daniele International Inc. comes amid an outbreak that's sickened 184 people in 38 states since July.
Daniele has been identified as the source of the ongoing outbreak by William Keene, a senior epidemiologist at the public health division in Oregon, where eight people have gotten sick. Keene said Saturday that the cause of the sickness was difficult to track and some questions remain, such as whether it was the meat or the pepper that was contaminated.
Daniele spokesman Jason Maloni said "there's no evidence that points to us" as the source. Maloni said 11 people who got sick ate salami from the Daniele Italian Brand Gourmet Pack, but that Rhode Island and federal officials have not linked the company's products with the outbreak.
"We're taking the prudent step in the event that further evidence does point to us," he said of the recall. "It is our responsibility to take this aggressive step." The company has set up a hot line for consumers or distributors at (888) 345-4160.
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