Since last June, at least 56 people in Washington got sick due to a specific strain of Salmonella Heidelberg, the Washington State Department of Health said in a statement.
This outbreak has been linked to chicken produced in Foster Farms plants in Washington and California, the department said. Fifteen people in Washington were hospitalized; no deaths are known to be linked to this outbreak.
No recalls have in issued in relation to the outbreak.
In a statement, Foster Farms said:
Since 2005, testing results for Salmonella from the USDA-FSIS in the Pacific Northwest have consistently been well below the limits set for raw poultry. This indicates that our Pacific Northwest facilities maintained consistent process control for Salmonella. Our facilities have earned and maintained Category 1 classification – the highest performance category for Salmonella safety and control – for the last seven years.
Salmonella is a common cause of foodborne illness, accounting for 600 to 800 reports of illness in Washington each year, the department said, adding Salmonella in raw chicken isn’t limited to any one brand.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture allows the sale of raw poultry that contains Salmonella, so the bacteria may be in all brands, the department said. In most cases of Salmonella illness, known as salmonellosis, a source isn’t identified.
Symptoms of Salmonella illness usually include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. The symptoms usually begin one to three days after exposure, and the illness usually lasts four to seven days.
Most people recover on their own without medical treatment. Some people do need medical care. Serious infections can occur, particularly in the very young, the elderly, and in people who have a weakened immune system. People who have severe symptoms such as bloody or long-lasting diarrhea should contact their health care provider.
Each year, thousands of Washington residents become sick because of food that is prepared in an unsafe manner.
The department urges consumers to follow these precautions to help prevent foodborne illness from poultry:
- Keep raw poultry separate from other foods – especially fruits and vegetables – in your shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator. Put poultry into a plastic bag to prevent drips that may contaminate other food.
- Be careful not to let drippings from poultry, packaging, cutting boards, or utensils, contaminate dishes or other surfaces in your kitchen. Cross-contamination can be a source of illness for anyone, even people who don’t eat poultry.
- Always wash your hands after handling poultry.
- Use warm water, soap, and paper towels for hands and a mild bleach – 1 teaspoon bleach per gallon of water – solution to sanitize utensils, cutting surfaces, and countertops.
- Keep raw poultry and anything it comes in contact with separated from other foods.
- Be sure poultry is thawed before cooking. Frozen or partially frozen meat is easy to undercook. Thaw poultry in the refrigerator, not on the countertop.
- Cook poultry until a thermometer shows the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.