Multidrug-resistant Salmonella Infantis infections have sickened at least 92 people in 29 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Twenty-one of those patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The case count by state is: Alabama (1), California (1), Connecticut (1), Delaware (2), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Hawaii (1), Illinois (5), Indiana (1), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Maryland (2), Massachusetts (9), Michigan (3), Minnesota (3), Missouri (3), North Carolina (4), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (9), New York (10), Ohio (7), Pennsylvania (11), Rhode Island (2), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (2), Virginia (2), and Washington (2). There is no explanation for why this multidrug-resistant Salmonella Infantis outbreak seems to … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Canada Linked to Frozen Raw Breaded Chicken Products Not Over After All
The Salmonella outbreak in Canada that is linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products is not over after all, according to Public Health Canada. In fact, a new recall was just issued for Unbranded $10 Chicken Fries, because they too may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. The outbreak has grown since the last update on September 17, 2018. Fourteen more people have been diagnosed and added to this outbreak since then. As of October 2, 2018, there are 433 laboratory-confirmed illnesses across that country. The case count in this Salmonella outbreak in Canada, by province is: British Columbia (36), Alberta (64), Saskatchewan (14), Manitoba (20), Ontario (151), Quebec (101), New Brunswick (23), Nova Scotia (9), Prince Edward Island (1), Newfoundland and Labrador (10), … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Frozen Raw Breaded Chicken Products Ends in Canada
The Salmonella outbreak in Canada that is linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products has ended with 419 people sick. Eighty six people have been hospitalized because they were so ill. Three people died, but according to Public Health Canada, "Salmonella was not the cause of death for two of those individuals, and it was not determined whether Salmonella contributed to the cause of death for the third individual." The case count by province is: British Columbia (36), Alberta (60), Saskatchewan (13), Manitoba (19), Ontario (146), Quebec (98), New Brunswick (23), Nova Scotia (9), Prince Edward Island (1), Newfoundland and Labrador (10), Northwest Territories (1), Yukon (1), and Nunavut (2). The outbreak notice states that "infections have occurred in Canadians of all ages and … [Read more...]
Kosher Chicken Linked to Deadly Salmonella Outbreak; Lawsuits Possible
Kosher chicken is linked to a deadly Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 17 people in four states and has hospitalized eight patients. One person in New York has died, according to the CDC. In interviews several ill persons reported that they ate Empire Kosher brand chicken. Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicates that some kosher chicken products are contaminated with Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-. The outbreak strain of bacteria was identified in samples of raw kosher chicken that were collected from two facilities, including one facility that processes Empire Kosher brand chicken. The four states where patients live include Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The illness onset dates range from September 25, 2017 to June 4, 2018. The CDC began investigating … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak May Be Linked to Empire Kosher Poultry Raw Chicken
A Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- outbreak may be linked to Empire Kosher Poultry brand raw chicken products, according to the USDA. A "cluster of illnesses" in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic U.S. states has sickened an unnamed number of people. This outbreak has not been announced by the CDC. There is no information about the number of people sickened, the states where they live, or the patient age range, although the notice at the USDA web site did say that half of the case-patients have been hospitalized. Illness onset dates range from September 2017 to June 2018. This is not a recall notice, but a public health alert. The Empire Kosher brand raw chicken items, which may include raw whole chicken, raw chicken parts, were produced and sold to consumers from September 2017 to June … [Read more...]
Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak in Canada Linked to Frozen Breaded Chicken Grows to 84 Sick
The Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in Canada that is linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products has grown to include 84 sick people. The outbreak notice says that "poultry, including frozen breaded chicken products containing raw poultry, pose an increased health risk to individuals who handle, prepare or consume these types of foods." Public health officials are warning Canadians to follow food safety practices when they handle, prepare, or consume any type of poultry, including frozen raw breaded chicken products such as chicken nuggets, burgers, strips, and fries. As part of this outbreak investigation, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled No Name brand Chicken Burgers sold in 1 kg packages. The product has a best before date of February 6, 2019. It was sold … [Read more...]
Congresswoman Questions USDA Equivalency of China’s Poultry Processing Plants
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) recently wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, questioning the USDA's process approving China's poultry processing plants. These plants are now able to export processed chicken to the United States. She expresses concern about the way the USDA has approved those plants. Her letter states that she opposed the equivalency designation because "it irresponsibly granted equivalency to the entire country's poultry processing system despite FSIS having only audited a limited number of China's poultry processing plants." She also states that the recent release of internal emails shows that "FSIS is taking a stunningly passive approach in approving three new Chinese poultry processing as eligible to export to the United States." The … [Read more...]
Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak in Canada Linked to Frozen Raw Breaded Chicken Products
A Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in Canada that is linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products is a good reminder to consumers to thoroughly cook these foods that appear to be already cooked. Sixty-eight people in that country are sick in this outbreak. There have been similar outbreaks in the United States; for instance, in 2015, a multistate Salmonella outbreak was linked to Aspen Foods frozen raw breaded chicken entrees. The latest outbreak notice states, "Based on the investigation evidence to date, poultry, including frozen breaded chicken products containing raw poultry, pose an increased health risk to individuals who handle, prepare or consume these types of foods." These foods must be handled with extreme care. One of the issues with these products is that the … [Read more...]
Rep. DeLauro Sends Letter to USDA Expressing Concern Over Chinese Chicken
Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has written a letter to Sonny Perdue, the Secretary of the USDA, expressing concern over reports suggesting that the government is planning to let China export its own poultry products to the United States. Food safety and consumer advocates have long opposed such a move to import Chinese chicken, citing serious food safety concerns about food from that country and many deadly outbreaks that have occurred there. According to the letter, Chinas General Administration of Customs Under Secretary met with a Chinese deputy director to discuss agricultural trade. DeLauro states, "given China's longstanding and well documented food safety problems, it is appalling to me that officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection … [Read more...]
Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak in Canada Linked to Poultry Sickens 30
The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections in four provinces. These illnesses are linked to poultry, including frozen raw breaded chicken products. There are 30 patients in four provinces. The case count by province is Alberta (2), Ontario (17), Quebec (7), and New Brunswick (4). Four people have been hospitalized because they are so seriously ill. These patients got sick between May 2017 and February 2018. Most of the patients are male. The findings to date incidence that exposure to poultry, including frozen raw breaded chicken products, has been identified as the illness source. No food recall warning is associated with this outbreak, and the … [Read more...]
