Barber Foods has expanded its recall earlier this month to include over 1.7 million pounds of frozen, raw stuffed chicken products that could potentially be contaminated with salmonella.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) news release revealed that the recalled products consist of nearly 90 raw packaged foods containing the establishment number P-276 inside the USDA mark of inspection, according to Fox News. The products were shipped to Canada and nationwide.
As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), salmonella is a bacteria that makes people sick. Most people infected with the bacteria develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most individuals recover without treatment.
The original July 2 recall affected Barber Foods' breaded and raw varieties of its stuffed chicken breasts, but now it has been expanded to all Barber Foods products. The infected chicken products were produced between Feb. 7 and May 20, according to About Lawsuits.
The U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified about a string of salmonella food poisoning illnesses June 24. Through trace-back investigations and epidemiology testsm FSIS was able to link a total of six salmonella cases to the consumption of Barber Foods products. After receiving two more illness reports since the original July 2 recall, Barber Foods opted to expand the recall, according to the Daily Meal.
The USDA advised people consuming raw packaged items to ensure they are fully cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit at the center of the food.
Cases of salmonella have been on the rise this year. Back in May, HNGN reported that cases of salmonella poisoning were reported in nine states, affecting 53 people.
