Monday, December 30, 2013

CDC updates figures, citing 416 Salmonella cases linked to Foster Farms

    The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on December 19 released an updated report, stating 416 persons were infected with seven outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg. The cases of Salmonella Heidelberg were linked in October to three Foster Farms poultry plants in California.
    The illnesses were reported from 23 states and Puerto Rico, but 74 percent of those people infected were in California, according to the CDC. Additionally, the CDC reported 39 percent of those who became ill were hospitalized, but there were no fatalities.
    The connection between Foster Farms and Salmonella outbreaks initially came to light on October 7, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for raw chicken packaged the three Foster Farms' facilities in California. At the time, 278 people had fallen ill due to Salmonella.
    Foster Farms did not issue a recall of its products from those three facilities. However, several grocery chains -- including Kroger and Costco -- did. FSIS later reviewed Foster Farms' food safety controls, and found them to be adequate.

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