Select Foster Farms chicken products have been targeted as the cause of the latest Salmonella outbreak sickening 287 people in 18 states the company said in a press release Monday.
"We are committed to ensuring the safety of our products, and our family-owned company has maintained an excellent food safety record during its near 80-year history," Foster Farms president Ron Foster said in a statement. "We deeply regret any foodborne illness that may be associated with any of our products. Food safety is at the very heart of our business. It is a continuous process of improvement. In addition to collaborating with FSIS (United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service) and CDC (center for disease control and prevention) the company has retained national experts in epidemiology and food safety technology to assess current practices and identify opportunities for further improvement."
According to the press release, the cases were linked to chicken products made at three California plants owned by Foster Farms. The affected products have the following numbers: P6137, P6137A or P7632 Reuters reported.
"Salmonella is naturally occurring in poultry and can be fully eradicated if raw product is properly handled and fully cooked," Dr. Robert O'Connor, Foster Farm food safety chief and head veterinarian said in a statement. "All poultry producers strive to reduce bacterial presence, including Salmonella. We take food safety very seriously. When the incidence of illnesses linked to Salmonella increased, we wanted to know why and we have worked quickly to identify and implement additional controls. It is also important to reassure the public that the FSIS process has not been affected by the recent government shutdown."
While no recall has been announced, Foster Farms is advising consumers to follow the Poultry ABCs or Always Be Careful.
According to the company, raw poultry must be handled and cooked while following the safe handling guidelines on all packages of chicken. These include keeping the product refrigerated or thawing it in a refrigerator or microwave while making sure the raw meat and poultry are separate from other foods when cleaning work surfaces.
Cutting boards, utensils and hands should be washed after touching meat or poultry. Also, hot foods should be kept hot while leftovers should be refrigerated immediately or discarded. All fresh poultry products should be cooked to 165°F by measuring with a meat thermometer.
The FSIS is one of the lone departments operating normally during the United States government latest shutdown.
