A Salmonella outbreak linked to Ruby’s Pantry frozen breaded chicken products has sickened at least four people in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, (DHS), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and local health departments are investigating this outbreak.
All four patients bought frozen breaded chicken at a Ruby’s Pantry pop-up location before they got sick. A raw breaded chicken product that may look fully cooked was distributed to Ruby’s Pantry patrons without any cooking instructions or labels that stated that the product was raw.
If you have received any unlabeled chicken products from any Ruby’s Pantry location, discard it or make sure that you cook it to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F and verify that temperature with a food thermometer. A list of all of the Wisconsin and Minnesota cities that have a RUby’s Pantry’s pop-up location is available at the MDH website. Sone of the cities where that facility has locations are in Pine City, North Branch, Forest Lake, and Isanti in Minnesota, and Luck, Danbury, and Amery in Wisconsin.
Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented clients sickened with Salmonella infections, said, “Even when you recover from this infection, there is still a risk you will develop a serious complication in the future.” Call 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202 for help.
Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients with Salmonella infections, said, “Frozen raw breaded chicken has been a problematic product for years. Cooking instructions on these types of foods are critical to food safety.”
Ruby’s Pantry is cooperating with the investigation. They have agreed not to distribute any more unlabeled chicken products.
Make sure that, if you do choose to keep and cook the chicken, you don’t cook it in the microwave oven. There have been several nationwide Salmonella outbreaks linked to frozen breaded raw chicken in the past in which patients heated the food in the microwave oven. That appliance can leave cold spots, and even if a thermometer registers the correct temperature, parts of the food could still be cold enough for bacteria to survive.
The symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning include fever, abdominal and stomach pains and cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Most people recover without any medical treatment, but some do become ill enough with sepsis or dehydration that they must be hospitalized. If you have eaten chicken from a Ruby’s Pantry and have been ill, see your doctor.
The Minneapolis law firm of Pritzker Hageman helps people sickened by contaminated food such as frozen breaded raw chicken protect their legal rights, and get justice and compensation. Our lawyers represent patients and the families of children sickened with bacterial infections in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against food trucks, retailers, food producers, food processors, restaurants, schools, and others. Attorney Fred Pritzker recently won a multimillion dollar lawsuit for a young client who had a brain operation after a Salmonella infection.
