Daniele International Inc. of Rhode Island is recalling more than 1.2 million pounds of ready-to-eat varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame, because they may be contaminated with salmonella, the Agriculture Department has announced.

The department's Food Safety and Inspection Service became aware of the problem during the course of an ongoing investigation of a multi-state outbreak of salmonella. The investigation is ongoing, and has not yet definitively identified a food vehicle or vehicles, the USDA said in a statement.

During the course of that investigation, a sample of the product was tested and found to contain salmonella, the statement said.

It said the company voluntarily recalled all products in commerce associated with black pepper, which the company believes is a possible source of contamination.

The products subject to recall include:

• 3-ounce packages of "DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER." *
• Approximately 6-pound packages of "DANIELE SALAME GRANDE COATED WITH PORK FAT & PEPPER."*
• 10-ounce packages of "DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
• Catch weight packages of "DANIELE PEPPER SALAME."
• 9-ounce packages of "BLACK BEAR OF THE BLACK FOREST BABY GENOA PEPPER SALAME."
• 20-ounce packages of "DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SMOKED SALAME, PEPPERED SALAME, RUSTIC SALAME."
• 340- and 454-gram packages of "DANIELE SURTIDO FINO ITALIANO, SALAMI GENOA CON PIMIENTA, LOMO CAPOCOLLO, SALAMI CALABRESE."
• 16-ounce packages of "DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO."
• 8-ounce packages of "DIETZ & WATSON ARTISAN COLLECTION PARTY PLATTER PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO."
• 8-ounce packages of "DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO."
• 16-ounce packages of "DANIELE GOURMET COMBO PACK, PEPPER SALAME, CAPOCOLLO, CALABRESE."
• 500-gram packages of "DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK EMBALLAGE ASSORTI GOURMET ITALIEN, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, CALABRESE PIQUANT, SALAMI AU POIVRE, HOT CAPOCOLLO, CAPOCOLLO PIQUANT."
• 8-ounce packages of "BOAR’S HEAD BRAND ALL NATURAL SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
• Catch weight packages of "DIETZ & WATSON ARTISAN COLLECTION, BABY GENOA PEPPER SALAME, MADE WITH 100% PORK COATED WITH BLACK PEPPER AND PORK FAT."
• 20-ounce variety packages of "DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SWEET SOPRESSATA, PEPPERED GENOA, MILANO SALAME."
• 21-ounce variety packages of "DANIELE GOURMET ITALIAN DELI SELECTION, SWEET SOPRESSATA SALAMI, PEPPERED GENOA SALAMI, HOT SOPRESSATA SALAMI, MILANO SALAMI, SALAMI SOPRESSATA DOUX, SALAMI GENOA POIVRÉ, SALAMI SOPRESSATA PIQUANT, SALAMI MILANO."
• 7-ounce packages of "DANIELE SALAME BITES PEPPER SALAME."
• 14-ounce packages of "DANIELE GOURMET ITALIAN DELI SELECTION ASSORTMENT DE FINES CHARCUTERIE ITALIENNE, SWEET SOPRESSATA SALAMI, MILANO SALAMI, SALAMI SOPRESSATA DOUX, SALAMI MILANO."
• Catch weight packages of "DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER."
• 32-ounce variety packages of "DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SWEET SOPRESSATA, PEPPERED GENOA, MILANO SALAME."

Each package bears a label with establishment number "EST. 9992" or "EST. 54" inside the USDA mark of inspection, the statement said. It said these products were distributed to retail establishments nationwide, as well as internationally.

Questions regarding the recall should be directed to the company’s hotline at (888) 345-4160, the statement said.

It said consumption of food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, senior citizens and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.

The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours, the statement said. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.