Supplier Of Seasoning Used On Salmonella-Contaminated Snack Foods Identified

Thursday, July 12th 2007, 5:48 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A New Jersey spice importer supplied the salmonella-contaminated seasoning used on snack food that has sickened 60 people, most of them infants and toddlers, the company recalling the snacks said Thursday.

Robert's American Gourmet Inc. purchased the seasoning from Atlantic Quality Spice & Seasonings, said Robert Ehrlich, president and chief executive of the snack food company. The Sea Cliff, N.Y., company has recalled its Super Veggie Tings Crunchy Corn Sticks and Veggie Booty snack foods, both of which used the spray-on seasoning.

Ehrlich said previously the seasoning, believed made with Chinese ingredients, tested positive for a rare strain of salmonella.

Officials with Atlantic Quality Spice & Seasonings, of Edison, N.J., had no immediate comment.

Veggie Booty was the likely source of the outbreak of the strain of salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said the outbreak involved cases in 19 states, with 90 percent of the cases reported in children 3 and younger. There have been no deaths.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

The parents of an Indiana toddler have sued Robert's American Gourmet, claiming Veggie Booty poisoned their child.