sushi-salmonella-outbreak264x188.jpgWith the recent Salmonella Bareilly outbreak linked to Spicy Tuna Roll Sushi, I fist thought if the C1 serotype Bareilly was found to be linked to a specific food over time.  In searching www.outbreakdatabase.com I could find no discernible pattern.  In 2010 in the United Kingdom Raw or Undercooked Bean Sprouts was linked to illnesses. In 2006 in North Carolina School it was Ice Tea. Also, in 2006 in North Carolina there was Unknown Location 2 Unknown Vehicle. And, there was a Southeastern States Well, Spring, and Bottled Water outbreak in 2000.

Then I thought about the ingredients.  Looking at three recipes (there are dozens of others) there are some ingredient similarities, and some that have been linked to past Salmonella outbreaks.

Setsuko Yoshizuka

6 cups prepared sushi rice

4 sheets nori (dried seaweed)

1 Tbsp. white sesame seeds

1/2 lb. sushi/sashimi grade tuna (maguro)

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. ichimi-togarashi (ground dried red chili pepper)

Emeril Lagasse

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons hot chile paste

1 teaspoon hot chile oil

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

4 sheets toasted seaweed (yakinori)

Prepared sushi rice (at least 3 cups cooked rice), recipe follows

1/2 pound sushi-quality fresh tuna, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips

Wasabi paste

2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions

3 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds

Tyler Florence

1/2 cup fresh, raw tuna, cubed

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 dashes red pepper sauce

Nori seaweed

Prepared sushi rice

1 bunch radish sprouts

My strong suspicion is that local, state and federal officials have their hands full trying to figure out what ingredient in the cause of the outbreak.  Sprouts, Mayo and Sesame Seeds look like a great place to start.