Sometimes we actually get things right when it comes to outbreaks.

As I wrote in my article a few days ago, I suggested that the source of the current Salmonella Montevideo outbreak would turn out to be black pepper on Daniel, Inc. salami products, not the salami itself.  Well, today that prediction was proven correct.

The Rhode Island Department of Health has released new test results indicating that the strain of Salmonella Montevideo blamed for a multistate outbreak associated with Daniele, Inc. salami products has been found in a container of ground pepper from the salami producer, linking the outbreak to contaminated black pepper.

Annemarie Beardsworth, a spokeswoman for the Rhode Island Department of Health, today reported findings from the department’s tests of ground pepper from Daniele. “We got positive results for Salmonella, and the strain did match the national outbreak,” she said. “The one caveat is the sample was from an opened container of ground pepper. That means it’s the probable source of the outbreak. We do have samples from closed containers that are in the process of being tested.”

Daniele Inc., based in Pascoag, R.I., had announced earlier this week it had also found Salmonella in black pepper it was using, but the company did not specify whether it matched the Salmonella Montevideo strain found in ill patients.

The outbreak of n Montevideo has sickened 189 persons in 40 states.

Beardsworth said the ground pepper came from a New York firm called Wholesome Spice, a distributor that sells ground pepper only to Daniele.