Planning to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday to visit family and friends or…
A raw turkey salmonella outbreak prompted the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to recall turkey products linked to more than 160 cases in 35 states. The current outbreak has lead to at least one death.
Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales LLC has recalled 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey products after the USDA found that a sample of the company’s product tested positive for a salmonella strain matching the outbreak strain.
Lab tests show that the salmonella came from several products including both ground turkey and turkey patties. The recalled items include:
- One-pound packages of Jennie-O Ground Turkey 93% Lean
- Taco season Ground Turkey
- Ground Turkey 85% Lean and Italian Season Ground Turkey
In addition, the recall is limited to items with a “use by” date of Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.
With less than a week to go before Thanksgiving, federal regulators haven’t disclosed which brands of turkey have been affected by the recent salmonella outbreak.
There have been 164 people sickened in 35 states. The states with the most cases related to the raw turkey salmonella outbreak include:
- Minnesota: 17 cases
- Illinois: 16 cases
- California: 13 cases
- New York: 12 cases
- Texas: 11 cases
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the one death occurred in California earlier this month. However, the agency did not make the details public.
How long has the turkey salmonella been going on?
The CDC first announced the raw turkey salmonella outbreak in July. However, people have continued to get stick in almost three dozen states across the country. The raw turkey salmonella outbreak started in November 2017. However, because there doesn’t appear to be one centralized distributor, it remains unclear where the outbreak originated.
In addition to ground turkey and turkey patties, the bacteria has also been found in live turkeys and pet food.
2018 Food-Related Salmonella Outbreaks
The raw turkey salmonella outbreak and subsequent recall may have the unfortunate timing of occurring a week before Thanksgiving, but it is not the first salmonella outbreak. According to the CDC, there have been 14 food-related salmonella outbreaks in 2018. These outbreaks have included everything from pre-cut melon to Honey Smacks Cereal to dried coconut.
It is estimated that there are 1.2 million salmonella cases that occur in the U.S. annually. Various foods are to blame for about a million of those cases.
Protect Yourself From Raw Turkey Salmonella This Thanksgiving
If you plan to handle raw meat this Thanksgiving Holiday, make sure that you are extra careful.
- Wash your hands after touching raw meat.
- Thaw turkeys in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
- Wash dishes, utensils, sink, counter tops and anything else that comes into contact with the turkey or its juices with soap and warm water.
- Do not use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat/poultry.
- Cook products thoroughly.
- Cook turkeys to 165° F.
The Carlson Law Firm Can Help
When companies do not use proper care to process meat products, it can result in dangerous contaminations. The Carlson Law Firm believes that safety should always come before profits. If you have suffered injuries because a foodborne contaminant, don’t go another moment without legal representation.
Our firm has been protecting the rights of personal injury victims for more than 40 years. Our goal is to ensure that you are getting the treatment necessary for your recovery. In addition, we will seek maximum compensation on your behalf.
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