Salmonella Outbreak Causes A Raw Turkey Recall Days Before Thanksgiving

Roommates, Thanksgiving is just days away and more than 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey products have been recalled by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

According to a release by the USDA, Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC recalled items that were produced on September 11, 2018 after a sample of the products tested positive for the strain connected to this salmonella outbreak.

The items include:

1-lb. packages of “Jennie-O GROUND TURKEY 93% LEAN | 7% FAT” with “Use by” dates of 10/01/2018 and 10/02/2018.
1-lb. packages of “Jennie-O TACO SEASONED GROUND TURKEY” with a “Use by” date of 10/02/2018.
1-lb. packages of “Jennie-O GROUND TURKEY 85% LEAN | 15% FAT” with a “Use by” date of 10/02/2018.
1-lb. packages of “Jennie-O ITALIAN SEASONED GROUND TURKEY” with a “Use by” date of 10/02/2018.

The Washington Post reports that the salmonella strain has also been found in “raw turkey pet food in Minnesota, raw turkey products collected from people’s homes and live turkeys from several states, indicating the bacteria is widespread in the industry.”

According to CNN, at least one person in California has passed away and 164 others across 35 states have been affected and/or hospitalized. The salmonella outbreak reportedly started in November 2017.

“Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days,” according to the USDA. “Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.”

Health officials are saying that this investigation is complex because the strain has been identified in a wide range of products and no common supplier has been identified, reports the Washington Post.

Roommates, we will keep you posted as more details on this are released.