The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released advice to consumers about the Salmonella outbreak linked to Barber Foods frozen raw chicken products and the subsequent recall. At least seven people in Minnesota and Wisconsin are sick in one outbreak after consuming this product. Another outbreak has sickened two people, but that is by a different strain of Salmonella bacteria.
Check your freezer to see if you have any of the recalled products. This long list is: Barber Foods Chicken Salmonella Recall List. Those products include products with the brand names Meijer and Sysco too. In addition, Omaha Steaks has recalled some of their products produced by Barber. These products were shipped to retail locations nationwide and in Canada. Some were available for purchase online.
Return the recalled products to the place of purchase for a refund. Wash your hands carefully with soap and water after handling these products.
If you have eaten any of these products and have experienced the symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning, see your doctor. Those symptoms include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and a fever.
In addition, read labels carefully when you purchase any meat product. Food that requires cooking to be safe to eat will be marked “Raw” or “Uncooked”. The product may not look raw because of breading or pre browning, but it is raw. Follow cooking instructions exactly as written on the label.
Always use a food thermometer to make sure the food you cook is safe to eat. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness, especially of poultry and beef. Use a food thermometer to make sure the chicken has reached a temperature of 165°F, checking in the center of the food, the thickest part, and the surface.
And clean and disinfect any surfaces and utensils that may have come into contact with the raw product, including the packaging and any breading that may fall off. Wash your hands with warm soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling these raw products.
