More than 91,000 pounds of raw turkey has been recalled on Nov.15, after a link was found in an ongoing salmonella outbreak.
The first death from the outbreak was reported on Nov. 15 in California, although further details about the death weren’t available.
The recall of 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey products was made by Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, which is based in Barron, Wisconsin.
The products were produced on Sept. 11, 2018, and are all one-pound packages of ground turkey.
The first category is ground turkey 93 percent lean and 7 percent fat with “use by” dates of Oct. 1 and Oct. 2. The other three all have “use by” dates of Oct. 2: packages of taco seasoned ground turkey; ground turkey that’s 85 percent lead and 15 percent fat; and Italian seasoned ground turkey.
All of the products have the establishment number P-190 inside the USDA mark of inspection and are being sold nationwide.
Stores Involved
The stores at which the turkey was sold have not been identified. Consumer Reports urged the USDA to identify them, in addition to any other brands involved.
“The USDA should immediately make public which turkey producers, suppliers, and brands are involved in this outbreak—especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner,” said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives for Consumer Reports, in a statement. “This information could save lives and help ensure consumers take the precautions needed to prevent anyone in their home from getting sick.”
The current salmonella outbreak involves 164 patients across 35 states.
“Patients have reported eating different types and brands of turkey products purchased from many different stores, handling raw turkey pet food and/or raw turkey, or working with live turkeys or living with someone who handled live turkeys,” the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement.
But the National Turkey Federation said earlier this month that people shouldn’t be worried about eating turkey. “For consumers, the bottom line is that all turkey is safe when properly cooked and handled,” the group said.
New Illnesses Reported
There’s a lag time between when a person gets sick and when the sickness gets reported to health officials, officials noted.
“We are still seeing new illnesses being reported on a weekly basis,” Colin Basler, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press.
The salmonella outbreak has led too other recalls, including one earlier this month of cake mix.
Additional products from other companies may also be recalled, officials said.
Eating food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis. Common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Symptoms usually begin within eight to 72 hours after eating the infected product. The illness usually passes within four to seven days and most patients usually recover without hospitalization, but salmonella can cause death.
