With one death and over 70 reported Salmonella illnesses, one would wonder why the government has yet to issue a recall. Investigations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point to ground turkey as the likely source of the Salmonella bacteria, which is linked to illnesses in 26 states. Yet, no recall announcement has been made, nor has the public been informed of the brands linked to the multi-state Salmonella outbreak.
Information posted on the CDC’s website indicated that
Seventy-six people in 26 states have been made sick from the same strain of the bacteria Salmonella Heidelberg. Salmonella Heidelberg resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics, making it an especially dangerous strain of the Salmonella bacteria. The CDC has yet to reveal where the person who died became sick and have released no details about the death.
The illnesses date back to March, and the CDC said Monday that cultures of ground turkey from four retail locations between March 7 and June 27 showed salmonella contamination. The agency said preliminary information showed that three of the samples have been linked to the same production establishment, but did not name the retailers or the manufacturers.
Thus far, affected states include Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin as well as Ohio, Texas, Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. The latter five have been hardest hit by Salmonella illnesses.
With all of these illnesses and now a Salmonella Heidelberg linked death, let’s run down what the CDC has done up to this point in an attempt to protect consumers.
1. State, local, and federal officials determine that ground turkey is the likely source of a Salmonella outbreak.
2. Four retail locations are mentioned, but not identified.
3. The investigatory period indicates that contaminated turkey was likely sold between March 7, 2011 and June 27, 2011.
4. The Salmonella strain in question is identified as Heidelberg.
5. FSIS/USDA issued a warning about fresh or frozen ground turkey. However, no manufacturer is mentioned, leaving consumers in the dark.
Hopefully, more information – and a recall – will be provided soon. Stay tuned.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2011
