Just ahead of Thanksgiving, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA) has recalled more than 91,000 pounds of Jennie-O turkey products.
Approximately 91,388 pounds of Jennie-O raw ground turkey products have been recalled after they were found to possibly be associated with a recent salmonella outbreak that has resulted in at least one death and more than 160 illness across 35 states.
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The recalled products, affecting items with “Use By” dates of Oct. 2 as well as Oct. 1 for the 93 percent Lean product, include Jennie-O Ground Turkey 93 percent Lean, Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey, Ground Turkey 85 percent Lean, and Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey. The products bear establishment number “P-190” inside the USDA mark of inspection and were sent to retail locations nationwide.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first announced an outbreak linked to raw turkey products in July, announcing earlier this week that the outbreak had since affected people from 35 different states including New York, Texas, California, Illinois, and Minnesota, with a total of 164 reported cases of infection, including 63 hospitalizations and one death. The CDC also reported at the time that the multi-drug resistant strain of salmonella had been identified in samples from raw turkey pet food, raw turkey products, and live turkeys. At the time, no specific brand had yet been linked to the outbreak.
“The outbreak strain has been identified in samples taken from raw turkey pet food, raw turkey products and live turkeys,” the CDC said in a statement on their website. “The outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading is present in live turkeys and in many types of raw turkey products, indicating it might be widespread in the turkey industry.”
The major snafu in Thanksgiving dinner comes just one week before the holiday. The CDC is urging consumers to practice safe preparation and cooking, including washing hands frequently when handling raw products, cleaning food preparation areas thoroughly, and cooking meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The CDC has also advised against feeding raw foods to pets, as “germs like Salmonella in raw pet food can make your pets sick.”
Salmonella, a potentially deadly bacteria that has been linked to a number of food-related recalls, typically does not require hospitalization, though in rare cases the infection can spread from the intestines to the blood stream. Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, and typically develop within 12 to 72 hours.
