Health Officials Say Black Pepper May Have Caused Salmonella

     PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) _ Health officials in Rhode Island say black pepper used in salami is the possible cause of a salmonella outbreak that sickened people in 40 states.
     The Rhode Island Department of Health on Thursday says tests showed the same strain of salmonella that sickened at least 189 people was also found in two open containers of pepper at Daniele International Inc.'s facility in Burrillville.
     The meat company recalled 1.2 million pounds of pepper-coated salami on Saturday, after officials traced the outbreak to
something in the salami.
     Health department spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth says they won't be sure the pepper is the cause until tests on unopened pepper containers come back. She says those results are expected in the next two to three days.