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...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Canada Linked to Frozen Raw Breaded Chicken
A Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 18 people in six provinces is linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products, according to Public Health Canada. This is the third national outbreak in Canada linked to those types of products. There have been several similar outbreaks in the United States in the past few years, including a large outbreak linked to frozen raw stuffed breaded chicken products produced by Aspen Foods, which is owned by Koch Poultry, in 2015, and another that was linked to Barber Foods products that same year. These products appear to be fully cooked, but they are raw, and the package states that information. These products are often cooked in the microwave, which can leave cold spots in food, meaning that pathogenic bacteria can survive and make someone … [Read more...]
Chicken and Food Poisoning
Information about chicken and food poisoning has been posted on the Foodsafety.gov website. This meat has been linked to several food poisoning outbreaks in the past few years. About a million Americans every year get sick from eating contaminated poultry. And Americans eat more chicken every year than every other meat. Raw chicken is often contaminated with Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Clostridium perfringens bacteria. Undercooked chicken, or foods that are contaminated by raw chicken juices, can cause serious illness. You need to pay special attention when you have raw chicken in your home. When you're shopping, put the chicken into a disposable bag before you put it into your shopping card. I get a bag, then put my hand into it, pick up the chicken, and turn the bag inside … [Read more...]
Salmonella Illnesses in Canada Linked to Frozen Chicken Products
Another Salmonella outbreak has been linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products; this time in Canada. This is not the first time illnesses have been reported connected to this type of product. In 2015, 15 people in seven states in America were sickened in an outbreak linked to Barber Foods frozen Chicken Kiev. Four of those patients were hospitalized. That same year, five people were sickened in the U.S. after eating frozen raw stuffed breaded chicken breasts produced by Aspen Foods. And in 2014, another Salmonella outbreak was linked to Barber Foods produced Antioch Farms raw stuffed breaded chicken breast. That outbreak sickened at least six people in several states. In this outbreak in Canada, people are sick with Salmonella Enteritidis infections in four provinces. … [Read more...]
