An outbreak of of E. coli O157:H7 infections was first detected in King County, Washington, and was linked to the consumption of Columbus Salame Company, dry-cured salami. In King County, the initial cases had purchased the salame from the delicatessens at QFC, a regional grocery store chain. No errors in food handling were detected in the delicatessens. Samples of salami were tested and were confirmed to be contaminated with the same strain of E. coli O157:H7. The implicated salami had been produced on one date, August 25, 1994. These findings prompted a nationwide recall of the product. Additional illnesses related to the product were found in California. Dry-cured salami is not cooked, but undergoes a fermentation process and subsequent drying. E. coli O157:H7 was found to be capable of surviving the fermentation process. Molecular subtyping techniques were helpful in this investigation.