California poultry facilities unaffected by government shutdown

The California Poultry Federation announced that the government shutdown has not affected the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service practices at California poultry facilities. There is no recall involved with a USDA-issued alert regarding the increased incidence of Salmonella illnesses caused by eating undercooked or improperly handled chicken, the federation says.
The federation reminds the public of the importance of following food safety and handling practices when preparing raw poultry. Salmonella is naturally occurring in poultry and is destroyed through the heat of normal cooking. Consumers should follow package instructions for safety and handling guidelines for raw poultry and:

• Refrigerate raw chicken promptly. Never leave it on countertop at room temperature.
• Packaged fresh chicken may be refrigerated in original wrappings in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
• Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not to be used within 2 days.
• Thaw chicken in the refrigerator or in cold water, not on the countertop. For quick thawing of raw or cooked, chicken use the microwave.  Thawing times will vary.
• Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods.
• Cook poultry to an internal temperature of 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer.
• Always wash hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other utensils used in preparing chicken with soapy water before they come in contact with other raw or cooked foods.
• Keep hot foods hot.
• Refrigerate leftovers immediately.
Headquartered in Modesto, the California Poultry Federation is the trade association for California's meat bird industry, representing chicken, turkey, duck, squab and game bird producers and processors.