Salmonella chicken outbreaks over – CDC
Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to raw, frozen, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees by Aspen Foods sickened five people in Minnesota.
The five illnesses occurred after people ate Antioch Farms brand chicken entrees, produced by Aspen Foods.
In the other outbreak, Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to raw, frozen, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees by Barber Foods sickened 15 people in seven states.
Closing both outbreak updates, CDC said: “This outbreak appears to be over. However, the recalled raw, frozen, stuffed and breaded chicken products have a long shelf life and may still be in people’s freezers.
“Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat the products and potentially get sick."
Aspen investigation
Aspen Foods recalled more chicken earlier this month after initially refusing to do so. The division of Koch Poultry Company first recalled products in July.
Illness onset dates ranged from May 9 to July 22 with two people hospitalized. Ill people ranged in age from 14 to 68 and 60% were male.
MDH and MDA collected 30 samples of unopened Antioch Farms brand frozen chicken entrees by Aspen Foods from retail locations and MDA isolated Salmonella from 25 of them.
Barber Foods recall
Barber Foods expanded an initial recall in early July with one of 1.7 million pounds of frozen, raw stuffed chicken products in mid-July.
Two DNA fingerprints (outbreak strains) of Salmonella Enteritidis, shown to be closely related genetically, were involved in the outbreak.
Illnesses were reported in Connecticut (1), Illinois (2), Minnesota (8), New Hampshire (1), New York (1), Oklahoma (1), and Wisconsin (1).
Onset dates ranged from April 5 to July 27 and among 10 people with available information, 4 (40%) were hospitalized.
Ill people ranged in age from 4 years to 82 and 60% were female.
MDH and MDA collected 15 samples of unopened frozen chicken entrees by Barber Foods from retail locations.
MDA isolated Salmonella from 14 of them; an outbreak strain was isolated from one sample.
MDH and MDA collected four samples of unopened Barber Foods chicken Kiev from two ill persons’ homes.
They isolated a Salmonella outbreak strain from three of these collected from both households.
Canadian investigation
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) closed its investigation in August, reporting no new illnesses since early July.
There were 51 cases of Salmonella illness in four provinces: Ontario (35), Quebec (12), Nova Scotia (2), and Newfoundland and Labrador (2) and 12 people were hospitalized.
Sofina Foods recalled no name and Compliments brands frozen uncooked breaded chicken products in July.
Illnesses were reported between January 15 and July 2.
