More than 164,000 pounds of raw ground turkey has been recalled by Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, Inc. because of the possibility of salmonella contamination, the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service announced Friday.
The recall was issued after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 52 new illnesses associated with the outbreak. At least 216 people across 38 states have reported becoming ill since the outbreak began in November 2018, the CDC says. Eighty-four people have been hospitalized and one person had died, according to the agency.
An additional 22 cases have also been reported in Canada across four provinces, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Friday. The illnesses in Canada have been traced to the same strand of salmonella as those in the U.S. outbreak, the CDC said.
Many of those who became ill reported eating different types of turkey and chicken products, the agency added.
Jennie-O's facility in Faribault, Minnesota produced the recalled turkey items between Oct. 22 and Oct 23 of this year. Packages subject to recall are marked "EST. P-579" on the side of the tray and shipped in 1-pound, 2.5-pound and 3-pound packages nationwide.
In November, the company announced a recall of 91,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products from another one of its facilities in Barron, Wisconsin. Those packages were marked with "EST. P-190" and sold in 1-pound packages.
FSIS also wrote that Salmonella is prevalent and can be present in raw poultry and meat products and that consumners should always make sure to cook their turkey thoroughly to a safe internal temperature of 165℉, as measured using a food thermometer.
The CDC says eating food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonelllosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The illnesses usually last between 4 and 7 days, with most people recovering without any need for treatment.
Photo: United States Department of Agriculture