The USDA announced plans this week to make it illegal to sell chicken Kiev and other stuffed, breaded, raw chicken products that are contaminated with Salmonella. Declaring Salmonella an "adulterant" in this subset of the vast array of poultry products available to American consumers is a small step forward in the agency's stated goal of remaking its strategy for controlling Salmonella in poultry. But it made big news. Chair of the House Appropriations Committee Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), who is perhaps the greatest champion of food safety in Congress, released a statement calling the announcement a "vital first step to improved protections for the public from foodborne illness." The Centers for Science in the Public Interest, which along with other consumer groups, petitioned the USDA … [Read more...]
Aspen Foods Salmonella Outbreak Ends
The Salmonella outbreak linked to raw, frozen breaded chicken entrees made by Aspen Foods has ended, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But because these entrees have a long shelf life, agency officials are worried that consumers may still have these products in their freezers. Consumers who do have these products in their freezers should dispose of them in a sealed plastic bag and wash their hands thoroughly. The outbreak associated with these chicken entrees including Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken a la Kiev or Chicken Broccoli and Cheese, sickened five people in Minnesota hospitalizing two of them. The products were sold nationwide under the brand names Acclaim, Antioch Farms, Buckley Farms, Centrella Signature, Chestnut Farms, Family … [Read more...]
Chicken Entrees Linked to Salmonella Outbreak Sold at These Stores
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) has released a list of stores where frozen chicken entrees, which have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak, were sold. The list is 60 pages long. The raw, breaded frozen chicken entrees made by Aspen Foods and sold under a number of brand names have sickened five people in Minnesota. They 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 breaded chicken items were labeled as “chicken cordon bleu,” “chicken Kiev” or “chicken broccoli and cheese” and have the establishment number “P-1358” inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were sold under the brand names Acclaim, Antioch … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Aspen Chicken Grows
A Salmonella outbreak linked raw, frozen breaded chicken products from Aspen Foods has sickened five people in Minnesota hospitalizing two of them. The company, which has been linked to other Salmonella outbreaks, has a systemic Salmonella problem, the USDA said two weeks ago. The current outbreak, announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in June, followed another Salmonella outbreak linked to the same products a year earlier. Between August 17, 2014 and September 27, 2014 six people in Minnesota got Salmonella infections from Antioch Farms brand frozen, raw Chicken Kiev produced at the Aspen Foods facility in Chicago. Officials from the Minnesota Department of Health said that during interviews with case patients they learned that some of them followed … [Read more...]
Which Stores Sold Antioch Farms Chicken Linked to Salmonella Outbreak?
A Salmonella outbreak linked to Antioch Farms frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu has sickened at least three people in Minnesota and may include illnesses in other states. Although epidemiological evidence has identified the product as the source of the outbreak, the company has not issued a recall. The only information consumers have been given regarding the product is that the packaging is marked with the code P-1358. But information from a recent outbreak linked to another Antioch Farms product may provide some answers. In October 2014, Antioch Farms frozen Chicken Kiev was linked to a Salmonella outbreak that sickened six people in Minnesota. A recall was issued for that product and a list of stores where it was sold was posted on the website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food … [Read more...]
CDC Joins Investigation of Minnesota Salmonella Outbreaks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has joined the the investigation of two Salmonella outbreaks in Minnesota linked to raw, frozen chicken Kiev and chicken Cordon Bleu. The outbreaks have sickened seven people, hospitalizing four of them. Illnesses in other states have not been linked to either outbreak, but the investigation is ongoing. Barber Foods of Portland, Maine has issued a recall for chicken Kiev products linked to one of the outbreaks. But Antioch Farms has not issued a recall for chicken Cordon Bleu products that have been linked to the other. Health officials are concerned that consumers may have these products in their freezers. Consumers who have these products should not eat them. Public health investigators are using the PulseNet database to look for … [Read more...]
Minnesota Salmonella Outbreak in 2014 Linked to Chicken Kiev
A Salmonella enteritidis outbreak in 2014 in Minnesota was linked to Antioch Farms Chicken Kiev from the Aspen Foods Division of Koch Foods. At least six people were sickened in this outbreak. Illness onset dates ranged from August 17, 2014 to September 27, 2014. Among the six patients, one was hospitalized, and no deaths were reported. All of the patients ate Aspen Foods Chicken Kiev before they got sick. Samples of the product collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella. The product was recalled on October 24, 2014. More than 28,000 pounds of single 5 ounce plastic packets of Raw Stuffed Chicken Breast Breaded, Boneless Breast of Chicken with Rib Meat "A La Kiev" was recalled from the marketplace. The product was sold … [Read more...]
How One Chicken Kiev Salmonella Outbreak Helped Solve Another
When six people in Minnesota got Salmonella poisoning from Antioch Farms frozen raw chicken Kiev last October, health officials knew something must have gone very wrong with chicken. Previous outbreaks linked to pre-browned, but raw, stuffed poultry products had triggered label changes in 2008 eliminating microwave cooking instructions. After the change, no further outbreaks were reported. Then came Antioch Farms. During interviews, some of those sickened reported following cooking instructions to the letter. Health officials began to suspect that the chicken was contaminated with so much Salmonella that it would be very difficult to prepare it without getting sick. The processing plant that produced the the Antioch Farms chicken Kiev had been linked to a Salmonella outbreak prior to … [Read more...]
Chicken Kiev Salmonella Outbreak Watched in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has become the latest state to warn consumers about a food poisoning concern over Antioch Farms brand Raw Stuffed Chicken Breast Breaded Boneless Breast of Chicken with Rib Meat "A La Kiev.'' The partially prepared chicken kiev product was recalled late last month by the Aspen Foods Division of Koch Meats in Chicago after the Minnesota Department of Health linked it to an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis. The Minnesota investigation confirmed a match between the strain of Salmonella that infected case patients and chicken samples that tested positive for the same strain. The chicken kiev Salmonella recall was announced through USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. In New Hampshire, the product was distributed to Shaw's stores and has since been removed from those … [Read more...]
Chicken Kiev Salmonella Outbreak Raised Red Flag in MN
When six people in Minnesota developed Salmonella poisoning after eating Antioch Farms frozen raw chicken Kiev, health officials suspected it wasn't a clear-cut case of user error. Labeling changes for frozen products containing raw meat or poultry enacted in 2008 had completely eliminated outbreaks associated with such products. Then this one came along. Dr. Carlota Medus, epidemiologist for the Foodborne Diseases Unit at Minnesota Department of Health, told Food Poisoning Bulletin that that raised a red flag. Something must have changed with the chicken. As per the 2008 label rule, the packages of chicken Kiev were clearly marked as raw and did not have microwave instructions. During interviews, some patients said they carefully followed cooking instructions. This could mean that … [Read more...]
