In a statement posted Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced that it is working with other western states and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate illnesses due to E. coli O157:H7 from chicken salad purchased at Colorado Costco stores in late October. The department added that consumers with “Chicken Salad made with Rotisserie Chicken” (item number 37719) purchased from Costco in Colorado should discard it.
Four cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been confirmed in Colorado, including two cases in Jefferson County and one each in Arapahoe and Routt counties. One person was hospitalized; all have recovered. The individuals purchased the product on Oct. 25 and 26 and became ill between Oct. 28 and Nov. 3, according to the department. Other states with confirmed E. coli cases linked to the chicken salad include Utah, Montana and Washington, CDPHE stated. Washington state health officials announced Monday that there was at least one reported case related to this outbreak from King County (Seattle area), and that the product had also been removed from Costco stores in Washington. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and CDC are working with Costco to determine the source of contamination, the department noted. “We are working with Costco,” said Alicia Cronquist, a department epidemiologist. “FDA reported to us the product has been removed from the shelves and no longer is for sale in Colorado.” People who have eaten the product and feel ill should consult their health care provider, CDPHE stated.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
