Jenny-O Turkey Recall Issued Amid Food Poisoning Cases Reported Nationwide

Nearly 150,000 pounds of Jenny-O ground turkey products may be linked to a Salmonella outbreak, which has caused at least 164 food poisoning cases in 35 different states, with more than half of those sickened requiring hospitalization.

The the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a Jennie-O Turkey recall on November 15, following after discovering that the raw meat contained the same strain of Salmonella involved in the outbreak.

According to the FSIS, the ground turkey salmonella outbreak is ongoing, and other manufacturers and distributors of ground turkey products may be expected to issue recalls as the investigation continues.

“Ill people in this outbreak report buying many different brands of raw turkey products,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a similar statement. “A single, common supplier of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has not been identified that can account for all the illnesses in this outbreak.”

The recall affects about 147,276 pounds of raw ground beef products sold in one pound packages distributed by Jenny-O, a subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation. The recall came following a traceback investigation by the FSIS and the CDC, which determined Jennie-O ground turkey products contained matching strains of salmonella recovered from hospitalized patients.

The action affects one pound packages of Jennie-O Ground Turkey 93% LEAN, Jennie-O TACO Seasoned Ground Turkey, Jennie-O Ground Turkey 85% LEAN, Jennie-O Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey and Ground Turkey 90% LEAN products that have “Use By” dates ranging from October 1, 2018 and October 2, 2018. The products are marked with establishment number P-190 inside the USDA mark of inspection and were shipped to a variety of retail locations nationwide.

Hormel issued a statement late last week indicating the particular strain of salmonella is present in 29 different manufacturing plants from 19 different companies. The United States Department of Agriculture has not released the names of the other companies and manufacturing plants.

Officials warn that the recalled ground turkey products should not be on stores shelves any longer, however, customers should check their freezers for any ground turkey products included in the recall and dispose of them immediately. According to FSIS officials, the outbreak has been ongoing since November 2017, with lab tests confirming salmonella cases in ground turkey, turkey patties, and live turkeys at farms and in pet food.

With Thanksgiving approaching, FSIS officials are reminding consumers to always properly handle raw meat products to avoid spread of bacteria and cross contamination. Raw meat products should never be placed on counter surfaces where other food items are prepared, and utensils used to handle raw meat should be thoroughly washed after each use.

Salmonella can cause symptoms such as severe cramps, diarrhea, chills, fever, headaches, bloody stools, nausea, and vomiting. Most symptoms last about four to seven days and can be treated at home.

In some cases, those who get the infection experience serious complications, or symptoms that last weeks or months, or may require hospitalization. Young children, people older than 65, or those with weakened immune systems are especially at risk.