Posted May 22, 2013 10:45 AM ET

Initial Announcement

May 22, 2013

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in several states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka infections. Results from this ongoing investigation indicate that tahini sesame paste distributed by Krinos Foods, LLC of Long Island City, New York is the likely source of this outbreak.  

Public health investigators are using DNA “fingerprints” of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections. These strains of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka have very rarely been seen before in PulseNet. Before this outbreak, these strains of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka had been reported only 29 and 4 times, respectively.

A total of eight ill persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Montevideo (two persons) or Salmonella Mbandaka (six persons) have been reported from six states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: California (1), Minnesota (2), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Texas (2), and Wisconsin (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from March 4, 2013 to April 30, 2013. Ill persons range in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 24 years. Fifty percent of ill persons are female. Among four ill persons with available information, none reported being hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

This outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of persons who became ill each day. This chart is called an epidemic curve or epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after May 10, 2013 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks. The recalled tahini sesame paste has a long shelf-life and may still be in people’s homes, and illnesses may continue to be reported. Please see the Salmonella Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases for more details.

Investigation of the Outbreak

During routine product testing at a retail store, the Michigan Department of Agriculture isolated Salmonella Montevideo from Krinos brand tahini sesame paste. Additional testing by the FDA isolated Salmonella Mbandaka from imported tahini sesame paste collected from shipments arriving in the United States for distribution by Krinos Foods.

On April 28, 2013, Krinos Foods, LLC of Long Island City, New York, recalled its tahini sesame paste. On May 9, 2013, Krinos Foods expanded its recall to include additional expiration dates. The recalled lots have expiration dates from January 1, 2014 to June 8, 2014 and from October 16, 2014 to March 15, 2015.

A search of the PulseNet database identified ill persons with the same strains of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka. In interviews, ill persons answered questions about foods eaten and other exposures during the week before becoming ill. Four (100%) of four ill persons interviewed (two infected with Salmonella Montevideo and two with Salmonella Mbandaka) reported eating homemade hummus made with Krinos brand tahini sesame paste.

CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview ill persons about foods eaten before becoming ill. FDA is continuing to work closely with CDC and state partners in this investigation.

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