12 September 2011

Ground turkey recalled again

From CBS News online    By David W Freeman
Cargill has issued a recall of about 185,000 pounds of ground turkey over fears the meat may be tainted with salmonella. The recall, which was announced on Sunday, came after a test revealed salmonella bacteria in a sample from the same Arkansas plant tied to a recall issued last month.


cargill, ground turkey, recall, USDA, CDC, salmonellaThe second recall is much smaller than the one the company issued Aug. 3, which involved 36 million pounds of ground turkey. That recall followed a salmonella outbreak that federal health officials said had sickened 107 people in 31 states, killing one person.

No illnesses have been tied to the second recall, which was initiated after the positive test at the company's plant in Springdale, Ark., the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
[...]

The second recall involves trays of ground meat, patties and chubs, the USDA said. The products were distributed nationwide under the Kroger, Fresh HEB and Cargill's Honeysuckle White brands.
All ground turkey made at the Springdale plant has "P-963" or "963" on the package, in a USDA seal or perhaps on the cellophane[...]. Consumers who bought products bearing that identification number can call 888-812-1646 for instructions on what to do [...].

Government officials say even contaminated ground turkey is safe to eat if cooked to 165 degrees. But it's also important that raw meat be handled properly before it's cooked and that people wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling it. Turkey and other meats should also be properly refrigerated or frozen and leftovers heated.

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