A recall of over 59,000 pounds of frozen chicken has been issued owing to the possibility of salmonella contamination. Serenade Foods initiated the nationwide recall of stuffed and breaded poultry products in response to an investigation into a multistate salmonella outbreak that has sickened 28 people so far, according to a statement from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Around 59,251 pounds of five different stuffed and breaded frozen poultry products are being recalled, including chicken with broccoli and cheese and cordon bleu-style chicken. Serenade Foods produced the chicken on February 24 and 25, 2021, and it was marketed countrywide under three brands: Dutch Farms, Kirkwood, and Milford Valley.
All goods were packaged individually in 5 oz and 10 oz plastic bags. They are labeled on the container with the establishment number “P-2375” within the USDA mark of inspection. (Consult the FSIS for a complete list of recalled products, including their names, lot codes, and best-by dates, as well as images of package labels.)
The chicken recall comes more than two months after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a public health alert about a salmonella outbreak associated with this type of stuffed and breaded frozen chicken, without naming specific brands or products. When the original FSIS notice was issued on June 2, there were 17 confirmed cases in six states (Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York), including eight hospitalizations (and no deaths). These examples involved individuals as young as three years old and as old as 83 years old.
Since then, an investigation by the FSIS, the CDC, and local public health officials has revealed other incidents of people becoming infected with closely similar salmonella strains. The FSIS reports that there have been a total of 28 cases associated with the outbreak, spanning eight states.
After interviewing 12 of the 17 people who initially became ill, public health experts suspected a link to this sort of chicken. According to the FSIS, ten of the 12 individuals acknowledged making and consuming frozen, breaded, filled chicken products (from a variety of brands and retailers). The link was established after investigators tested unopened packages of broccoli and cheese-stuffed frozen chicken found in the home of one of the sick individuals and discovered the same type of salmonella that caused the illness. According to the FSIS, the inquiry is still ongoing.
As noted in the FSIS notice, these stuffed, frozen chicken products have been pre-browned on the exterior and may appear to customers to be pre-cooked or ready-to-eat. However, the chicken is raw and must be properly cooked before consumption. Seven out of ten consumers who made and consumed these goods stated that they undercooked, microwaved, or air-fried the chicken, despite the fact that the instructions stated to bake it in the oven.
When cooking this particular sort of chicken—as with any raw meat—consumers must be cautious about following the package’s preparation instructions and heating the meat to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside. This kills any hazardous bacteria present in the chicken, such as salmonella. Additionally, it is critical to separate raw chicken items from other foods and to avoid cross-contamination of surfaces such as cutting boards.
Salmonella is a rather prevalent foodborne pathogen. According to the CDC, symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that begin six hours to six days after consuming the contaminated product and continue for four to seven days. The majority of cases are minor enough that individuals recover without seeking medical attention or receiving specific treatment.
However, salmonella can cause serious sickness and/or spread beyond the gut to other parts of the body in certain circumstances (like the blood or joints). According to the CDC, certain categories of people are more susceptible to severe sickness, including newborns, children, those over 65, and people with compromised immune systems. Severely unwell individuals may require antibiotic treatment or hospitalization.
The FSIS recommends anyone who has one of the recalled products in their freezer to discard it or return it to the retailer from which it was purchased.