The raw ground turkey products were made on September 11, 2018. The recalled products include 1-pound packages of Jennie-O GROUND TURKEY 93% LEAN | 7% FAT with use by dates of 10/01/2018 and 10/02/2018; 1-pound packages of Jennie-O TACO SEASONED GROUND TURKEY with a use by date of 10/02/2018; 1-pound packages of Jennie-O GROUND TURKEY 85% LEAN | 15% FAT with a use by date of 10/02/2018; and 1-pound packages of Jennie-O ITALIAN SEASONED GROUND TURKEY with a use by date of 10/02/2018.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-190” inside the USDA mark of inspection. This ground turkey was shipped to retail locations nationwide.
The CDC, USDA, and the Arizona Department of Health Services have been conducting traceback investigations as part of the outbreak investigation. They found a sample of Jennie-O brand ground turkey in an intact, unopened package from a case-patient’s home. The patient tested positive for Salmonella Reading, and the sample from the ground turkey matches the outbreak strain.
Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients with Salmonella infections in lawsuits against processors, producers, and grocery stores, said, “We are happy to see that the USDA has released some information about products that may be associated with this outbreak so consumers can take some action. We hope that more brands will be identified in the near future.”
Patients in this outbreak have been reporting they have eaten several different types and brands of turkey products bought from many different stores. They also said they handled raw turkey pet food, or worked with live turkeys. This is the first brand identified by the government that may be associated with this outbreak.
Check your freezer to see if you have any of these products in your home. If you do, throw it away after wrapping it in foil or plastic wrap. You can also take the ground turkey back to the store where you bought it. Wash your hands well after handling these products.
The symptoms of a Salmonela infection include a fever, nausea, stomach and abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea that may be bloody. People usually start feeling sick a few hours to a few days after eating food contaminated with this pathogen.
The bacteria in this outbreak are resistant to several antibiotics, which raises concerns about treatment. About 47% of the patients sickened in this outbreak have been hospitalized. That number is more than twice the typical number of hospitalizations for this type of outbreak.
It’s important to remember that all raw turkey, including Jennie-O raw ground turkey, chicken, eggs, and meat products should be handled with care. Wash all surfaces that have come into contact with them with soap and water. Watch out for cross-contamination between raw meat and poultry juices and foods that are eaten uncooked. And always cook all poultry products to 165°F and measure that temp with a food thermometer.
