The Tyson Salmonella outbreak that has sickened nine inmates at a TN correctional facility may include cases in 12 other states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Two of the nine inmates sickened with Salmonella Heidelberg infections were hospitalized.
These illnesses are not related to the ongoing Foster Farms outbreak which has also been linked to chicken products contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg. This outbreak is linked to mechanically separated chicken, a paste “produced by forcing the bones and attached edible tissue through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible poultry tissue,” to make hot dogs, bologna, nuggets, and patties, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Because the product contains bone particles, the words “mechanically separated” must appear on the product’s label.
The chicken product linked to this outbreak was made by Tyson Foods, Inc. a Sedalia, Mo and distributed nationwide for institutional use, not at the retail level. On January 10, Tyson issued a recall for 33,840 pounds of the product produced on Oct. 11, 2013 and sold in 40-lb. cases, containing four, 10-lb. chubs. The recalled products bear the establishment number “P-13556” inside the USDA mark of inspection with case code 2843SDL1412 – 18.
Onset of illness for the nine TN inmates who contracted Salmonella infections was between November 29 and December 5. The CDC has identified 19 other cases in 12 states that may be related. Onset of illness for those cases was between October 22, 2013 and December 15, 2013. Because the outbreak strain is a common one, “genetic fingerprint” testing is being done to determine if those cases are related to the cases in TN.
