Chicken Kiev, Chicken and Broccoli and Chicken Cordon Bleu are being recalled by Aspen Foods of Chicago after more Salmonella illnesses were linked to the products. The recall follows one issued July 15 after a Salmonella outbreak linked to the products, which has now sickened five people, was first announced.
The recalled products have the establishment number “P-1358” inside the USDA mark of inspection and were produced between August 25, 2015 and September 17, 2015 with “best if used by” dates of August 23, 2016 to December 15, 2016. They were sold under a variety of brand names including Acclaim, Antioch Farms, Buckley Farms, Centrella Signature, Chestnut Farms, Family Favorites, Kirkwood, Koch Foods, Market Day, Oven Cravers, Rose, Rosebud Farm, Roundy’s, Safeway Kitchens, Schwan’s, Shaner’s, Spartan and Sysco.
Nationwide the products were sold at Aldi, Food Lion, Kroger, Safeway, Save-a-Lot, and Walmart stores nationwide and dozens of other stores in 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) has released a complete list of stores where items were sold.
This is not the first Salmonella outbreak that has been linked to these products produced by Aspen Farms. At least two other Salmonella outbreaks have been linked to these products produced at this facility. A 2014 outbreak, announced by Minnesota health and agriculture officials in late October 2014, prompted a recall of 14 tons of chicken products. The USDA says the company has a “systemic Salmonella problem”
The July 15 recall included almost 2 million pounds of products made between April 15, 2015 and July 10, 2015 with “best if used by” dates between July 14, 2016 and October 10, 2016. They also have the establishment number “P-1358” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis. Symptoms of an infection, which usually develop within 12 to 72 hours of exposure include fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that can be bloody. Symptoms usually last about a week. But in some cases, hospitalization is necessary. Two people in this outbreak have been hospitalized. Young children, adults, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of infection.
Consumers who have eaten the products and are concerned about an illness should see a doctor and mention possible exposure to Salmonella. Those who have purchased these products and not yet eaten them should throw them away or return theme to the place of purchase. Some case-patients reported following the cooking instructions on the label and using a food thermometer to make sure the products had reached a safe internal temperature. This indicates that the products are contaminated with so much Salmonella that they can’t be handled safely.
This outbreak is occurring at the same time as another outbreak linked to frozen breaded chicken products produced by Barber Foods. At least nine people in four states have been sickened in that outbreak. A recall has also been issued for those products. The cases in that outbreak, six in Minnesota and one each in Illinois, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, involve drug-resistant strains of Salmonella. The strains in the Aspen outbreak are resistant to drugs.
