Beginning in April 1993, the National Reference Centre for Enteric Pathogens, in Germany, noted an increase of rare salmonella serovars. Besides S. Saintpaul, S. javiana, and S. rubislaw which prevailed, and were therefore taken as indicator organisms for epidemiological studies, S. loenga, S. fiorian, S. inganda, S. Iille and others were repeatedly found together along with a great number of different monophasic or non-motile strains of Salmonella subspecies I. Altogether, 94 different serovars or non-motile strains were isolated from patients, paprika, and paprika-containing food items, especially paprika-powdered potato chips. When the public was warned of the contamination of paprika and paprika-powdered snacks at the end of June, the incidence dropped, and by the end of September the outbreak stopped. One German producer of paprika was implicated; this firm sold paprika for snacks and as loose spice. The paprika originated from South America.