A Salmonella outbreak has prompted the recall of frozen chicken kiev products made by Barber Foods of Portland, Maine. Barber is recalling approximately 58,320 pounds of frozen, Chicken Kiev produced on January 29, 2015; February 20, 2015; and April 23, 2015. Consumers who have purchased this product should not eat it as Salmonella can cause serious illness.
The recalled products were sold through June 26 at Sam’s Club stores in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The boxes are labelled “BARBER FOODS PREMIUM ENTREES BREADED-BONELESS RAW STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH RIB MEAT KIEV.” They have “use by/sell by” dates of April 28, 2016, May 20, 2016 and July 21, 2016 and Lot Code numbers 0950292102, 0950512101, or 0951132202. The establishment number “P-276” appears inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The recalled product may appear to be cooked, but is raw and must be handled carefully to avoid cross-contamination. Like all poultry, it needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F at the thickest part. Some case-patients reported following the cooking instructions on the label and using a food thermometer to confirm that the recommended temperature was achieved.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified of a cluster of Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses in Minnesota on June 24, 2015. Epidemiological evidence and traceback investigations have linked four case-patients with illness onset dates ranging from April 5, 2015 to June 8, 2015 to the recalled product.
Eating foods contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after exposure to the organism lasting four to seven days.
