Despite being the source of an ongoing year-long Salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 500 people, the percentage of Foster Farms chicken contaminated with Salmonella is better than the industry average, according to a recent statement from the company. In October 2013, three of the company’s California plants were linked to the outbreak, just months after a Salmonella outbreak linked to its Washington plants had ended.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) threatened to close the California plants in October, but let them remain open after the company presented a plan to mitigate the Salmonella problem. Since that time, “the company has implemented a multifaceted Salmonella control program that has reduced the prevalence of Salmonella at the parts level to less than ten percent – well below the USDA-measured industry benchmark of 25 percent. USDA officials have affirmed that the interventions are working and confirmed, “Foster Farms is performing far better than the industry average,” according to thestatement on the company’s website reads.
Foster Farms says it has conducted “in-market testing” at the point of purchase and that while while Salmonella can be present in all brands of chicken, “Foster Farms is among the safest choices available to consumers. ” As of March 3, 481 people in 25 states and Puerto Rico were part of the outbreak linked to Foster Farms chicken.
I’ll bet this is why: https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2013/research-shows-chemicals-sprayed-on-chicken-may-mask-salmonella-in-tests/ A new chemical sprayed on chickens during processing carries over into the testing stage, artificially masking Salmonella counts in the plant.