The eighth-largest multistate food poisoning outbreak of 2015 was a Salmonella outbreak linked to Barber frozen Chicken Kiev. The Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to the raw, frozen, stuffed chicken entrees made by Barber Foods sickened 15 people in seven states before ending in October. Four people were hospitalized.
Th outbreak was one of two Salmonella outbreaks this year linked to raw, breaded, frozen chicken entrees. The other outbreak, linked to products produced by Aspen Foods, occurred simultaneously.
In the Barber outbreak, cases were reported from the following states: Connecticut (1), Illinois (2), Minnesota (8), New Hampshire (1), New York (1), Oklahoma (1), and Wisconsin (1).
Four outbreak strains of Salmonella Enteritidis were identified and all of them were resistant to the antibiotics ampicillin and tetracycline. Antibiotic resistance is associated with higher hospitalization rates, more severe illness, an increased risk of bloodstream infection and treatment failure.
Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to find people in this outbreak who reported onset of illness ranging from April 5, 2015 to July 27, 2015. They ranged in age from 4 years to 82, with a median age of 32.
The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture collected 15 samples of unopened products made by Barber Foods from retail locations and found Salmonella in 14 of those samples. One sample yielded one of the outbreak strains. Unopened Barber Foods frozen chicken entrees collected from the homes of two case patients were also found to contain the outbreak strains.
Barber Foods recalled about 38,320 pounds of Chicken Kiev on July 2, 2015 that were sold in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. That recall was expanded on July 12, 2015 to include 1.7 million pounds of more Chicken Kiev products with use by/sell-by dates of April 28, 2016, May 20, 2016, and July 21, 2016 and lot codes 0950292102, 0950512101, or 0951132202. The products, which have the establishment number “P-276” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were shipped nationwide.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include fever, chills, nausea, abdominal cramps, muscle aches, vomiting, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Symptoms usually appear within six to 72 hours of exposure and last about a week. Most people recover without medical attention, but some become so ill they must be hospitalized. Even if you recover completely you may have long term complications from this illness.
