The Salmonella outbreak linked to Barber Foods raw, frozen stuffed breaded chicken products has grown to include another patient. This person lives in Oklahoma, which increases the outbreak case count to three states. Now at least seven people are sick with Salmonella Enteritidis linked to these products.
The case count by state is: Minnesota (5), Wisconsin (1), and Oklahoma (1). Two of these people have been hospitalized. No deaths are reported. Illness onset dates range from April 5, 2015 to June 23, 2015.
A public health alert was issued on July 1, 2015 about a Salmonella outbreak associated with raw, frozen, breaded and pre-browned, stuffed chicken products. Then, Barber Foods recalled 1.7 million pounds of their frozen chicken products on July 12, 2015. The products were sold under several different brand names, including Barber Foods, Meijer, and Sysco. In addition, Omaha Steaks issued a recall of their stuffed chicken breast entrees on July 13, 2015 that were manufactured by Barber Foods.
There is another outbreak of Salmonella that has sickened at least three people in Minnesota; that one is linked to recalled Aspen foods frozen breaded stuffed chicken products. A huge recall of 1.9 million pounds of product was issued this week.
The Minnesota Department of Health collected 15 samples of unopened frozen chicken entrees produced by Barber Foods from retail locations for lab testing. Salmonella was isolated from 14 of these samples. One sample contained the outbreak strain of bacteria. Unopened Barber Foods Chicken Kiev that was collected from an ill person’s home was tested; the outbreak strain of Salmonella was found in one of those packages.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually begin 12 to 72 hours are exposure to the pathogenic bacteria. They include nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea that may be bloody, chills, fever, headache, and muscle pains. If you ate a frozen, raw, pre breaded and browned, stuffed chicken product and have experienced these symptoms, please see your doctor. A Salmonella infection can cause serious illness, and long term complications of this illness can cause arthritis, heart problems, and irritable bowel disease.
