NBC New York reports:
Seventeen people in four states have come down with salmonella-related illnesses from kosher chicken, and one person in New York has died, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday.
The CDC said several of the ill people reported eating Empire-brand Kosher chicken before being sick.
Of the 17 cases, 11 are in New York, four are in Pennsylvania and one each happened in Maryland and Virginia. Those sickened with salmonella ranged in ages from 76 years old to less than a year old.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) already issued a health alert on Aug. 24 about Empire Kosher brand raw chicken items.
The raw chicken items, which may include raw whole chicken and raw chicken parts, were allegedly produced and sold to consumers from September 2017 to June 2018.
Empire has not issued a statement on its website about the outbreak. A representative on the company’s consumer phone line said inquiries would be referred to a different department.
Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses, according to the FSIS. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product, according to the FSIS, which adds that the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.
FSIS and CDC urge consumers who have purchased these products to properly handle, prepare and cook them by safely preparing the raw meat products, regardless if they are fresh or frozen, and only eat chicken products that have been cooked to a temperature of 165°F.
Consumers should take proper precautions when handling raw chicken products by washing after handling raw poultry, meat and eggs, according to FSIS, adding that this step can reduce the risk of bacterial cross-contamination to other foods and kitchen surfaces. Additionally, one should wash counter tops and sinks with soapy, hot water.
Consumers can contact an Empire Kosher Specialist at 1-877-627-2803 with any questions.
VIDEO: How do I know if I have salmonella
Q&A with Dr. Manny: Since coming back from vacation, I’ve had diarrhea and cramps. How do I know I have salmonella versus some other gastrointestinal condition?
To avoid salmonella the raw meat needs to reach temperature of 165 Celcius, not Farenheit as it says in the article. That would be 330 Farenheit.
Do sad that someone died.
But if it’s 27 cases, and the “affected” chicken was sold from September last year through June this year, with millions of people waiting Empire chicken every week, it sure doesn’t sound like it was coming from the chicken!
Company called empire
Is there anything that chicken industries can do to prevent salmonella?
Is the price of kosher meat going to skyrocket now, right before the holidays?
Are there going to be more protests about kaparos?
Why did it take Empire so long to do anything?