Minnesota officials warn salmonella detected in charcuterie sampler

State officials are warning Minnesotans to not eat Busseto Foods' three-meat charcuterie sampler after one person fell ill and an unopened package tested positive for salmonella.

A person reported becoming sick in December after eating a Busseto brand Charcuterie Sampler purchased at Sam's Club, according to a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) news release.

The state then tested an unopened package of the sampler from the sick person's house and found it was positive for salmonella, the MDH said. The person was not hospitalized for the illness.

The state recommended not eating the Busseto sampler that has the LOT number L075330300 and the expiration date of April 27, 2024. The LOT number indicates whether a batch of goods were produced in the same run and with the same ingredients.

The sampler contained prosciutto, sweet sopressata and dry coppa. The state has not determined which component may have been the source of contamination or whether similar products are affected.

The MDH and Minnesota Department of Agriculture are investigating the scope of the problem.

Simone Bocchini, president and COO of Fratelli Beretta USA, which acquired Busseto over a decade ago, said in an email that the company has had "no indication internally or otherwise that our products pose any food safety risk."

Bocchini alleged that there has been a "lack of collaboration or communication" by the state about the issue.

"With that said, if there is an association to our products, we will take appropriate action," Bocchini said in the email.

The state said the issue could be larger than what has been reported so far due to how some do not get looked at for the illness.

"Since many cases of salmonella infection do not seek health care and get tested, the number of ill people is likely to be larger than the identified case," the state said, advising people who become sick after eating the product to consult a health care provider.

Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever, and usually begin within 12 to 96 hours after exposure, but they can begin up to two weeks after exposure, the state said. The infection usually goes away in five days to a week, the state said.

Approximately 1,000 salmonella infections are reported each year in Minnesota, MDH said.