4/8/2011
Consumers should be sure to check any frozen turkey burgers to make sure they are not among the lots recalled last week because of potential Salmonella contamination. It now appears the strain, Salmonella Hadar, is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics, which can increase the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals.
“Department inspectors have not found any evidence of recalled lots in West Virginia, but we’re concerned that recalled product may already be in people’s freezers,” said West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “We’re also concerned that they may have been resold to retail customers.”
While there’s no inherent problem with reselling, Commissioner Douglass noted the practice might make it difficult for consumers to determine the lot number of the products in their possession.
He also stressed that fully cooking all meat products minimizes the chance of contracting a food-borne illness. The safe internal temperature for meat such as beef and pork is 160°F, and 165°F for poultry, as determined with a food thermometer. Consumers should also keep raw meat away from other food that will not be cooked, and use separate cutting boards for raw meat and cooked foods. They should wash their hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat. Meat fresh from the store, or cooked leftovers, should be refrigerated within two hours.
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial food-borne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within six to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.
The recall includes 4-pound boxes of Jennie-O Turkey Store® “All Natural Turkey Burgers with seasonings Lean White Meat.” Each box contains a dozen ⅓-pound individually wrapped burgers. A use by date of “DEC 23 2011” and an identifying lot code of “32710” through “32780” are ink-jetted on the side panel of each box, just above the opening tear strip. Establishment number “P-7760” is located within the USDA mark of inspection on the front of each box. The products were packaged on Nov. 23, 2010 and were distributed exclusively to Sam’s Clubs nationwide.
Anyone with these products should return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
Approximately 54,960 pounds of frozen, raw turkey burgers were recalled on Friday, April 1. The following Monday the U.S. Centers for Disease Control announced that the pathogens were exhibiting antibiotic resistance.
At least a dozen people in 10 states have been sickened by the raw, frozen turkey burger products. Among the 12 people with illnesses associated with the turkey burgers, three have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
So far, illnesses have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin. Wisconsin has three cases; the nine other states reported one case apiece. Investigators have not been able to confirm that all of the ill people actually ate the burgers. However, at least three people in Colorado, Ohio and Wisconsin specifically reported eating the turkey burgers the week before they became ill. Samples of turkey burgers taken from patients' homes in Colorado and Wisconsin tested positive for Salmonella Hadar.
Contact Information
Buddy Davidson, Communications Officer
304-558-3708; 304-541-5932 (cell)
bdavidson@ag.state.wv.us