Kroger stores are removing Foster Farms chicken from their stores after an announcement of a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 278 people in 17 states. While Foster Farms has said it has “fixed the situation”, Kroger isn’t taking chances.
The stores that are removing Foster Farms chicken include Fry’s, King Soopers, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, QFC, and Smith’s. Kroger, Jay C, and Dillons stores do not carry Foster Farms chicken. The recalled products are identified by these numbers inside the USDA mark of inspection: P6137, P6137A, and P7632.
Kroger will notify customers who have purchased those products through their store loyalty card contacts. If you purchased any Foster Farms chicken, from any store, with those numbers in the USDA mark of inspection, discard it or return it to the place of purchase.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea that may be bloody, severe abdominal cramps, and fever. Symptoms usually begin 12 to 72 hours after exposure. The strains of Salmonella Heidelberg in this particular outbreak are quite virulent, with 42% of patients requiring hospitalization. About 13% of the patients have developed Salmonella septicemia, a serious infection. In addition, four of the seven outbreak strains are antibiotic-resistant, so treating this infection can be quite difficult.
