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Federal officials are investigating a new multi-state foodborne illness outbreak with turkey products identified as the likely source.

In a four-word listing on its outbreak investigation table, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service revealed the outbreak: “Salmonella Hadar, turkey suspect.” A spokesman for the FSIS told Food Safety News this afternoon that additional details would have to come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A spokeswoman from the CDC confirmed that the agency is investigating the outbreak, which involves Salmonella Hadar infections. She told Food Safety News that as of March 15 there had been 22 patients reported across nine states. She did not indicate when the investigation began or when the first person became ill. The agency has not posted an outbreak notice.

“People are reporting eating a variety of turkey products but a specific brand or type has not yet been identified. CDC is collecting additional data to determine the source of infections,” according to the spokeswoman for the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

Turkey has increasingly been identified in food poisoning outbreaks in the United States in recent years. Outbreaks in 2018 and 2019 involved Salmonella Reading and Salmonella Schwarzengrund, respectively. The 2019 outbreak sickened at least seven people in three states according to the CDC. 

The 2018 outbreak sickened at least 358 people in the United States across 42 states. One death was confirmed, according to the CDC’s outbreak information. The illnesses were linked to raw human and pet foods from a variety of sources, including Jennie-O. That company recalled products. At the same time in 2018, officials in Canada investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Reading linked to poultry products. Testing showed the same outbreak strain on both sides of the border. 

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has eaten any turkey products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

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The day after she was finally confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Mindy Brashears was back home in  Lubbock, TX, giving an Ag Appreciation Day speech to the local Chamber of Commerce.  After that, she’s found her new job is pretty much about COVID-19.

From her presidential appointment on May 4, 2018, to her confirmation by the U.S. Senate on March 23, 2020, 689 days passed.  It was a long wait for the former Texas Tech Univesity food safety scientist who is not known for her patience.

Her wait added 1 year, 10 months, and 19 days to the total time that America went without a presidential appointment and Senate confirmation of a food safety expert to serve as USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety.   The total time that elapsed while the office stood vacant was 6 years, 3 months, and 10 days.  The blame goes to presidents, past and present, and Senate bipartisan moves too numerous to mention.

In the year before her confirmation, Brashears was Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety thanks to appointment by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

Her Senate confirmation came just 12 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus Pandemic.

And the Public Calendar for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) shows that COVID-19 became the subject of virtually every meeting with people from outside the agency that Brashears would have during her first month and beyond as Under Secretary for Food Safety.

Those with COVID-19 meetings with the Secretary during April included:

  • Michael Scuse, Delaware Secretary of Agriculture; Randy Day, Perdue Farms; Mark McKay, Perdue Farms; Lester Gray, Perdue Farms; and Herb Frerichs, Perdue Farms
  • Tom Bower, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, Foster Farms; Dalton Rasmussen, President, Squab Producers of California; and David Rubenstein, Vice President of Operations, Pitman Family Farms
  • Ashley Peterson, Senior Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, National Chicken Council
  • USDA-regulated Establishments and Industry Representatives
  • Chandler Keys, JBS
  • Chuck Penry, Tyson Foods
  • Mike Brown and Ashley Peterson, National Chicken Council
  • Ken Sullivan, Smithfield Foods
  • Michelle Kromm, Lori Marco, Jeff Grev, Jacob Bylund, Hormel/Jennie-O; Lisa Wallenda Picard, National Turkey Federation
  • Kathryn Unger, Katie Smith, and Jake Kuhns, Cargill

And COVID-19 continued to dominate Brashers meetings with outsiders during May.

  • Representatives from: Illinois  Department of Public Health, IL Ogle County Health Department, IL Department of Ag, IL Governor’s Office, CDC, Hormel
  • Mike Skahill, Smithfield
  • Representatives from: CDC, Texas State Health Services, TX Governor’s Office, TX Department of Ag, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Caviness Beef Packers, Tyson, JBS, Cargill
  • Julianna Potts- Chief Executive Officer, North American Meat Institute
  • Representatives from: CDC, Wisconsin Governor’s Office, WI Department of Ag, City of Milwaukee, Cargill
  • Kathleen Glass, Associate Director, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jeff Sindelar, UW-Madison; Chuck Czuprynski, UW-Madison; Kristin Schill, UW-Madison
  • Danielle Beck- Executive Director of Government Affairs, NCBA
  • Mitzi Baum- Chief Executive Officer, Stop Foodborne Illness; Lauren Bush- Co-board Chair, Stop Foodborne Illness; Mike Taylor- Co-board chair, Stop Foodborne Illness; Rob Swenson- Treasurer, Stop Foodborne Illness; Craig Wilson- Representative, Costco; Jorge Hernandez- Representative, and Wendy’s; Gillian Kelleher- Representative, Wegman’s
  • Barbara Glenn, Chief Executive Officer, NASDA; Felicity Mejeris, Manager of Food Safety Programs, NASDA; Aline Delucia, Senior Director of Public Policy, NASDA; Sara Arsenault, Manager of Public Policy, NASDA
  • Harrison Collins, Michael Best Strategies; Denise Bode, Michael Best Strategies; Patrick Firth, Michael Best Strategies; Steve Austin, Red Gold; Paul Palmby, Seneca Foods
  • Deidrea Mabry, Chief Operating Officer, American Meat Science Association

A month into her tenure as Under Secretary for Food Safety, President Trump signed an Executive Order to keep meat and poultry processing facilities open during the COVID-19 national emergency. The order would prevent meat shortages, but put USDA’s food safety office under pressure as some plants turned out to be COVID-19 hotspots, making it difficult to keep plants operating and sufficiently staffed with inspectors.

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Meat production this week is up about 3 percent compared with the previous week, according to market reports by SiriusXM’s Rural Radio. That’s still off by as much as a third from a year ago. The numbers are causing some retailers to ration fresh meat purchases or risk selling out their entire supplies.

The beef, pork, and poultry markets were all tossed in April when the coronavirus pandemic struck, leading to temporary plant closures and production cutbacks. And more than ever the public sees the safety of employees in meat plants as synonymous with food safety.

If May does produce the recovery that Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue predicts will become a reality in the next seven to 10 days, the restart of a giant pork plant in Sioux Falls, SD, by Smithfield Foods will be a big contributor.

Smithfield employees in Sioux Falls returned to the old John Morrill plant Thursday to make preparations for getting production underway. The return to full operations is being done in phases. The kill floor will re-open on Monday, giving 550 independent hog producers a market for the first time in almost a month.

A Smithfield statement for the media says “the company is in full compliance with all CDC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidance.”

The statement also says COVID-19 testing of more than 2,000 Smithfield employees by South Dakota public health staff will continue as the reopening ramp-up goes forward. At full operation, the Smithfield plant employs 3,700 and generates 5 percent of all U.S. pork production.

“I toured the plant with our Joint Union Management Safety Committee and was impressed with the measures put in place to protect employees,” said B.J. Motley, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 304A. “Smithfield is doing everything they can for the employees and their safety. We stand with Smithfield to get the plant back open.”

Smithfield says employee health and safety are the core of its reopening plan with adherence to the CDC-OSHA requirements being a minimum. Personal protective equipment (PPE) with masks and face shields are being used at all Smithfield facilities. Mass thermal scanning and physical barriers for production floors and break areas have been installed to protect employees.

The Smithfield, VA-based company employs 40,000 people in the U.S., and Smithfield, Eckrich, and Nathan’s Famous are among its brands.

Further meat production declines were prevented when the White House put the industry under the Defense Production Act to protect the U.S. food supply. Secretary Perdue, under DPA authority, ordered the implementation of the CDC-OSHA standards to protect the meat industry employees from contracting the virus at work.

Perdue says “patriotic meat processing facility workers are returning to work to make sure that America’s producers and ranchers can bring their product to market and the American people can have food to eat.”

About 8,000 meat industry employees are infected with the COVID-19 virus, a number that represents 6.15 percent of the industry’s national minimum workforce of 130,000. Twenty-seven meat industry deaths are blamed on the virus.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) says COVID-19 is responsible for the deaths of three USDA meat inspectors, one from Illinois, Mississippi, and New York.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says 197 field inspectors were absent from work as of May 5 and 120 were under self-quarantine. FSIS employs 6,500 meat and poultry inspectors who are assigned to regulate establishments throughout the country.

FSIS initially offered to a $50 reimbursement to their meat inspectors to purchase face masks. The agency now says it is providing all inspection personnel with face masks and shields.

Update:  This morning, Secretary Perdue  released a list of  major meatpacking facilities that “are resuming operations across the United States this week:”

  • Tyson Perry, IA (pork)
  • Tyson Waterloo, IA (pork)
  • Tyson Logansport, IN (pork)
  • Tyson Robards, KY (poultry)
  • Tyson Portland, ME (further processor)
  • Tyson Pasco, WA (beef)
  • Tyson Dakota City, NE (beef)
  • Aurora Packing, Aurora, IL (beef)
  • JBS Green Bay, WI (beef)
  • JBS Worthington, MN (pork)
  • Smithfield Monmouth, IL (pork)
  • Smithfield Sioux Falls, SD (pork)
  • Indiana Packers, IN (pork)
  • Jennie-O Turkey Store, Wilmar, MN (poultry)

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Officials continue to warn people to properly handle and cook poultry amidst an ongoing three-year Salmonella Reading outbreak that has sickened more than 120 people in Canada with the same strain of the bacterium that hit people in 43 U.S. states.

At least 16 more people in Canada were confirmed as patients in the outbreak there in November. The Public Health Agency of Canada expects additional sick people to be identified because it is taking between five and six weeks for confirmation testing and reporting for most cases.

Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the outbreak over in April, the agency continues to monitor the multi-state PulseNet system for additional ill people. In the U.S. the outbreak ran from November 2017 through the end of March this year.

Of the 126 confirmed patients in Canada and the 358 in the United States, one died in each country. Hospitalization rates have been higher than usual for Salmonella infections, with 38 in Canada and 133 in the United States having been admitted for in-patient care.

“The Public Health Agency of Canada is not advising that consumers avoid eating properly cooked turkey or chicken products, nor is it advising retailers to stop selling raw turkey and raw chicken products. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not issued any food recall warnings related to this outbreak,” according to the update Wednesday from Canadian public health officials.

In the U.S. several human and pet foods were recalled, including some Jennie-O brand turkey products and pet food sold under the Woody’s and Raws for Paws brands.

Canadian officials have come to similar conclusions as their U.S. counterparts in terms of root sources of the Salmonella.

“Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to raw turkey and raw chicken products has been identified as the likely source of the outbreak. Many of the individuals who became sick reported eating different types of turkey and chicken products before their illnesses occurred,” Canadian public officials report.

“Through the use of a laboratory method called whole genome sequencing, some Salmonella illnesses dating back to 2017 were identified to have the same genetic strain as the illnesses that occurred in late 2018. The majority of illnesses under investigation occurred between October 2018 and November 2019.”

The province of Alberta has been hardest hit in the outbreak, with 44 confirmed patients. Other provincial counts are: British Columbia with 31, Saskatchewan with 8, Manitoba with 24, Ontario with 8, Quebec with 2, New Brunswick with 1, Prince Edward Island with 1, Northwest Territories with 1, and Nunavut with 6.

Canada’s public health agency reports that despite their country’s patients being infected by the same strain as patients in the United States none of the recalled U.S. products were exported to Canada. 

Click on map to enlarge.

Officials in the United States reported the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading was identified in samples taken from raw turkey products, raw turkey pet food, and live turkeys. The CDC investigation, which included work by state health departments and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, showed widespread contamination through the turkey industry. Industry groups have promised to review mitigation procedures.

“Ill people reported buying many different brands of raw turkey products from multiple stores. Also, 4 of the 200 ill people interviewed became sick after pets in their home ate. Five of the 200 ill people interviewed worked in a facility that raises or processes turkeys, or lived with someone who did. In February 2019, 47 people became ill after eating turkey that was not handled properly at an event in Iowa,” according to the CDC.

“The outbreak strain was also identified in samples from raw turkey products from 24 slaughter and 14 processing establishments.”

Consumers are responsible for properly handling and cooking poultry to avoid cross contamination and undercooking, according to Canadian and U.S. officials.

“This outbreak is a reminder of the importance of using safe food handling practices if you are preparing, cooking, cleaning or storing raw turkey and raw chicken products. These raw products can have bacteria that can easily be spread around food preparation areas and can make you sick if safe food-handling practices are not properly followed,” the new Canadian warning states.

The Public Health Agency of Canada posted the following tips to ensure food safety with poultry:

  • Always wash your hands before and after you touch raw turkey and raw chicken. Wash with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.
  • Always cook turkey and chicken products to a safe internal temperature that has been checked using a digital thermometer.
  • Turkey and chicken breasts, as well as ground poultry, including turkey and chicken burgers, should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 74 degrees C (165 degrees F) to kill any harmful bacteria. Whole turkey and chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 82 degrees C (180 degrees F).
  • Leftovers should be reheated to 74 degrees C (165 degrees F). Use a digital food thermometer to check, and place it in the thickest part of the food.
  • Thaw frozen raw turkey and raw chicken in the fridge. Thawing raw turkey and raw chicken at room temperature can allow bacteria to grow.
  • Never rinse raw turkey or raw chicken before cooking it because the bacteria can spread wherever the water splashes.
  • Use a separate plate, cutting board, utensils and kitchen tools when preparing raw turkey and raw chicken.
  • Clean everything that has come in contact with raw turkey or raw chicken with a kitchen cleaner or bleach solution and then rinse with water.
    • Kitchen cleaner (follow the instructions on the container)
    • Bleach solution (5 mL household bleach to 750 mL of water)
  • Keep raw turkey and raw chicken away from other food while shopping, storing, repackaging, cooking and serving foods.
  • If you have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
  • Do not feed raw ground turkey or raw ground chicken to your pets. Bacteria like Salmonella in raw pet food can make your pets sick. Your family also can get sick by handling the raw food or by taking care of your pet.
  • For more information, read the agency’s poultry safety fact sheet.

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

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Public Health in King County, WA, is reporting that a private event on April 20, 2019, resulted in salmonellosis illnesses likely linked to a deadly national outbreak.

Previously not included, the King County illnesses now are likely part of the national Salmonella Reading outbreak caused by raw ground turkey that has continued past the time when the national investigation ended. Hundreds were sickened and about one-third of those were hospitalized in the national outbreak that also resulted in one death.

King County’s investigation into the private event illnesses included laboratory testing that showed four of the seven people who got sick following the local incident tested positive for Salmonella Reading. All four had the same genetic fingerprint, suggesting a common source for the infection. The other three who were ill also had symptoms consistent with salmonellosis.

Attendees at the private event took multiple potluck items. Assorted smoked and barbecued meats were also available, including pork, turkey legs, and lamb. Some partial preparation occurred at a private residence.

The King County laboratory tests and a national Salmonella Reading outbreak strain associated with raw turkey products closely matched one another. Public Health says the match suggests turkey is the likely source of the illnesses related to April’s private event.

As of April 22, 2019, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported that a total of 358 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading were from 42 states and the District of Columbia. The CDC said available information indicates the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading is present in live turkeys and many types of raw turkey products.

On April 30, CDC declared its investigation of the multi-state Salmonella Reading outbreak over. By then, the outbreak strain was also present in at least 72 Salmonella illnesses in Canada.

Further, it was associated with four national recalls, two for ground turkey and two for pet food.

  • Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales in Faribault, MN recalled raw ground turkey products on December 21, 2018.
  • Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales in Barron, WS recalled raw ground turkey products on November 15, 2018.
  • Woody’s Pet Food Deli in Minnesota recalled raw turkey pet food on January 28, 2019.
  • Raws for Paws of Minneapolis, MN recalled Ground Turkey Pet Food on February 5, 2018.

While the national outbreak investigation is final, CDC continues to monitor for reports of ill people because the outbreak Salmonella strain is present in the turkey industry.

Public Health said it was unable to gather details about all the foods served and consumed at the event, and because no product remained for testing, it cannot say for sure which food item was responsible for the illnesses.

Five King County residents and two from neighboring Snohomish County, WA, reported illnesses to Public Health after consuming food and beverages at the private event. A hospital admitted one of the seven for treatment of salmonellosis, but along with the others has since recovered.

During the investigation, Public Health did look into the source and preparation of the pork, turkey, and lamb eaten at the event to identify potential problems with both undercooking and cross contamination. Investigators visited the food facility where the pork, turkey, and lamb were purchased, finding:

  • Temperatures in the facility were correct for all meat products.
  • No processing of the meats occurred there (like cutting or cooking), which could increase the risk of contamination with Salmonella bacteria.
  • Source details for the meat products were collected and sent to the Washington State Department of Agriculture for possible traceback.
  • Public health also provided information about safe food handling practices and how to prevent the spread of the bacteria to those involved.

Public Health serves 2.1 million people in King County, WA including Seattle and all other incorporated jurisdictions in the county.

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Federal officials say new outbreak cases of Salmonella infections linked to raw turkey products have dropped significantly since the deadly outbreak was detected. As of today, 358 people in 42 states have been confirmed infected.

In its “final” outbreak update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this afternoon said additional illnesses are likely to occur because there is a good chance consumers have the implicated turkey in their home freezers. Freezing does not kill most foodborne pathogens. Poultry must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F to kill pathogens, including Salmonella.

Of the 358 people who have been laboratory-confirmed with Salmonella Reading infections as part of the outbreak, 133 had to be admitted to hospitals. One person died.

“The number of reported new illnesses has decreased, but people could continue to get sick,” according to the outbreak update. “CDC will continue to monitor the PulseNet database for any new illnesses, and public health partners will continue to investigate any reported new illnesses. 

“A single, common supplier of raw turkey products or of live turkeys was not identified. People could continue to get sick because this Salmonella strain is present throughout the turkey industry, including raw turkey products, packaged raw pet food, and live turkeys.

“… CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service shared this information with representatives from the turkey industry, including the National Turkey Federation, and requested that they take steps to reduce Salmonella contamination.”

The most recent confirmed patient reported to the CDC became ill on March 31. It can take four weeks or more for victims to be added to the CDC’s outbreak log because of the lag time between symptom onset, initial testing, followup testing, reporting to local/state public health officials, and data submission to CDC.

The first confirmed patient in the Salmonella Reading outbreak became sick on Nov. 20, 2017. Ill people ranged in age from less than 1 year to 101 years old, with a median age of 42.

More than 300 samples collected from patients, live turkeys, and environmental swabs from turkey businesses showed antibiotic resistant genes, according to the CDC.

The isolates — 180 from ill people and 134 from food, animal, and environmental samples — contained genes for resistance or decreased susceptibility to some or all of the following antibiotics: ampicillin at 52 percent of all 487 isolates; streptomycin at 32 percent; sulfamethoxazole at 31 percent; tetracycline at 32 percent; kanamycin at 3.4 percent; gentamicin at 0.6 percent; nalidixic acid at 0.4 percent; ciprofloxacin at 0.4 percent; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole at  0.4 percent; and fosfomycin at 0.2 percent.”

Ill people reported buying many different brands of raw turkey products from multiple stores. Also, four of the 200 ill people interviewed became sick after pets in their home ate raw ground turkey pet food . Five of the 200 ill people interviewed worked in a facility that raises or processes turkeys, or lived with someone who did. 

In February this year, 47 people became ill after eating turkey that was not handled properly at an event in Iowa, according to the CDC outbreak update.

Public health officials in Arizona and Michigan collected unopened Jennie-O brand ground turkey from the homes of ill people. Officials in Minnesota also collected raw turkey pet food that was served to pets in ill people’s homes. 

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading was identified in samples of the ground turkey and the raw turkey pet food. Whole genome sequencing showed that Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people, from ground turkey, and from raw turkey pet food were all closely related genetically. In scientific lingo that means they were virtually the same.

“These results provided more evidence that people in this outbreak got sick from eating or handling turkey products,” according to the CDC update.

Several Jennie-O brand ground turkey products were recalled in November and December 2018. Raws for Paws recalled raw turkey pet food in February 2018, and Woody’s Pet Food Deli recalled raw turkey pet food in January 2019.

The outbreak strain was also identified in samples from raw turkey products from 24 slaughter and 14 processing establishments. The samples collected by FSIS at these slaughter and processing establishments were part of FSIS’s routine testing under the Salmonella performance standards.

Information for consumers
Food that is contaminated with Salmonella bacteria usually does not look, smell or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection, but infants, children, seniors and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated food and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients need to be hospitalized. 

Older adults, children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and to not get sick or show any symptoms, but to still be able to spread the infection to others.

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There are three current multistate outbreaks of Salmonella in the United States. Two–infections linked to Butterball Brand Ground Turkey and Precut melons–are outbreaks that began in 2019 and the third involving ground turkey was a 2018 outbreak of raw ground turkey products that remain open.

Taken together, the three have sickened 279 people resulting in 107 hospitalizations and one death. One or the other of these outbreaks has spread the Salmonella infections to nearly every one of the 50 states.

How were these outbreaks possibly made worse?

It can happen, according to Yaohui Sun and Alex Mogilner of New York University. Salmonella bacteria can “flip an electric switch” as they catch a ride inside immune cells, causing migration out of the gut to invade other parts of the body.

Sun, Mogilner and their NYU colleagues discovered how the switching mechanism works, sometimes upping the toxicity of Salmonella, a common food-borne pathogen that comes in hundreds of strains or stereotypes.
Their findings were reported in the open-access journal PLOS Biology on April 9.

Salmonella causes over 400,000 deaths each year, making it both the commonest and deadliest cause of food poisoning, according to the NYU study. Deaths result when the bacteria escape the gut inside immune cells called macrophages.

“Macrophages are drawn to bacteria in the gut by a variety of signals, most prominently chemicals released from the site of the infections,” according to Science Daily’s summary of the study. “Once there, they engulf the bacteria like a regular part of their infection-fighting job.”

But they might not remain there. They might enter the bloodstream “disseminating the bacteria and greatly increasing the gravity of the infection.”

The NYU researchers found tissues in the gut can generate electrical fields that can drive the migration of cells, including macrophages.

In the new study, PLOS reports the authors first showed that the lining of the mouse cecum (the equivalent of the human appendix) maintains a cross-membrane electrical field and that Salmonella infection altered this field and contributed to the attraction of macrophages.

Measurements of the polarity of the local charge indicated that the macrophages were attracted to the anode or positively charged pole within the field. Once they engulfed bacteria, however, they became attracted to the cathode and reversed their migratory direction, moving away from the gut lining, toward vessels of the circulatory system. This switch was driven by an in the composition of certain charged surface proteins on the macrophages; the mechanism by which bacterial engulfment triggers this change is still under investigation.

“Dissemination, rather than localized infection, is the greatest cause of mortality from Salmonella (and other food-borne bacteria), and so understanding more about this polarity switch is likely to help develop new treatments to reduce deaths from food-borne bacterial infections,” Mogilner told Science Daily.

As for those three active outbreaks, the one that’s been active for the longest time involves Salmonella Reading from raw turkey products mostly associated with Jennie-O Turkey produced in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Jennie-O recalled ground turkey in both November and December of 2018.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta last reported on the outbreak on Feb. 13, 2019, when 279 illnesses were confirmed in 41 states and the District of Columbia.  CDC has not declared the outbreak over.   It did report a common supplier for all the turkey products involved, including pet food, has not been identified.

Butterball Brand ground turkey was, however, immediately named as the source for the first Salmonella outbreak to get underway in 2019.   It is smaller than the 2018 outbreak, involving six confirmed cases in three states.   Only one ill person has required hospitalization and the Butterball outbreak hasn’t caused any deaths.

CDC’s reported on the first Salmonella outbreak on March 14, 2019.    The strain involved is Schwarzengrund.

And, on April 12, 2019, CDC disclosed the ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Carrau involving pre-cut melons.   In the initial announcement, the agency blamed 93 illnesses in nine states on the outbreak.  No deaths have resulted, but 23 people have required hospital treatment,

In concert with the outbreak announcement, Caito Foods in Indianapolis recalled a massive amount of pre-cut melon products.

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The deadly multistate outbreak of multiple drug-resistant Salmonella infections linked to raw turkey products continues to expand, according to the latest update from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

The outbreak dates back to last July and the most recent of four associated recalls occurred only two weeks ago.  According to the latest report:

  • Since the last update on December 21, 2018, 63 more ill people were reported, bringing the total to 279 ill people from 41 states and the District of Columbia.
  • 107 people have been hospitalized.
  • One death was reported from California in a previous update.
  • Illnesses in this outbreak occurred from November 20, 2017, to January 29, 2019.
  • The Health Agency of Canada has identified ill people infected with the same DNA fingerprint of SalmonellaReading bacteria in Canada.
  • The outbreak strain of SalmonellaReading has been identified in various raw turkey products, including ground turkey and turkey patties. The outbreak strain has also been found in raw turkey pet food and live turkeys, indicating it might be widespread in the turkey industry.
  • Several turkey products have been recalled because they might have been contaminated withSalmonella.
  • A single, common supplier of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has not been identified that could account for the whole outbreak.
  • The outbreak strain could be present in many facilities and suppliers, meaning many brands and types of foods containing raw turkey could be affected.
  • CDC and USDA-FSIS have shared this information with representatives from the turkey industry and requested that they take steps to reduce salmonella contamination in turkeys.
    This investigation is ongoing and the CDC will provide more information as it becomes available.

CDC’s advice for consumers:

  • Always handle raw turkey carefully and cook it thoroughly to prevent food poisoning.
  • With the exception of the recalled turkey products, CDC is not advising that consumers avoid eating properly cooked turkey products, or that retailers stop selling raw turkey products.
  • General ways you can prevent salmonella infection include good handwashing and cooking turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F.  Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey to check the temperature. For turkey burgers, insert a thermometer in the side of the burger, into the thickest part of the patty in the center.
  • CDC does not recommend feeding raw diets to pets.
  • More prevention advice here.

People get sick from Salmonella12 to 72 hours after swallowing the germ and experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Most people recover within a week, but some illnesses can last longer and be more severe.

History of associated recalls:

On January 28, 2019, Woody’s Pet Food Deli in Minnesota recalled External raw turkey pet food. The recalled product was sold in 5-pound plastic containers labeled “Woody’s Pet Food Deli Raw Free Range Turkey” and was sold in Minnesota.

On December 21, 2018, Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC, in Faribault, Minnesota recalled approximately 164,210 pounds of raw ground turkey products. The recalled ground turkey was sold in 1-pound, 2.5-pound and 3-pound packages labeled with the establishment number “P-579”. This is found on the side of the product tray package.

On November 15, 2018, Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC, in Barron, Wisconsin recalled approximately 147,276 pounds of raw ground turkey products. The recalled ground turkey was sold in one-pound packages labeled with the establishment number “P-190”. This is found inside the USDA mark of inspection.

On February 5, 2018, Raws for Paws of Minneapolis, MN recalled approximately 4,000 pounds of its External in  5 pounds and 1 pound chubs of Ground Turkey Pet Food.

Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled turkey products.

CDC will update the advice to consumers and retailers if more information becomes available, such as a supplier or type of raw turkey product linked to illness.

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Bacterial contamination was the No. 1 cause of almost all recalls posted by the USDA during the fourth quarter of 2018, while undeclared allergens were the top cause for recalls of food under the FDA’s jurisdiction.

In its 2018 4Q Recall Index, released this morning, Stericycle reported 97.7 percent of the recalls under the jurisdiction of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) were initiated because of bacterial contamination. The pathogen behind 98.6 percent of the FSIS’s bacteria-related recalls was Salmonella. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has jurisdiction over meat, poultry, and some processed egg products.

Public health officials detected a Salmonella outbreak in November 2018 that was traced to raw turkey products, resulting in recalls of more than 250,000 pounds of Jennie-O brand turkey. The most recent outbreak update posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Jan. 29, reported 216 people across 38 states had been confirmed with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading. Of those patients, 84 were admitted to hospitals. One person died.

Even with the large turkey recalls, beef recalls were No. 1 in terms of pounds of product recalled. Almost 72 percent of USDA-recalled products were beef. Beef was the top USDA category for recalled pounds in three quarters in 2018. 

Driving beef to the top spot in Q4 were recalls by multi-national giant JBS. The company recalled more than 12 million pounds of beef in relation to a Salmonella outbreak. In the CDC’s most recent outbreak update, posted Dec. 12, 2018, laboratory tests had confirmed 333 people across 28 states had been infected. Of those patients, 91 were admitted to hospitals. No deaths had been reported. 

Overall, there were 17 million pounds of food recalled under USDA oversight during the last three months of 2018.

For foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which account for about 80 percent of food sold in the United States, undeclared allergens were responsible for not only the highest percentage of recalls, but also for the largest numbers of individual units recalled, according to the Stericycle report.

Undeclared allergens were the impetus for 46 percent of recalls under FDA’s jurisdiction, accounting for 81 percent of the food units recalled in Q4 of 2018. One large recall of candies dominated the recalls, making up 80 percent of all recalled food units under FDA’s oversight.

There was a total of 156 recalls of FDA-regulated foods during the last quarter of 2018, according to Stericycle.

Stericycle aggregates and tracks recall data from a variety of sources including the FDA, the USDA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the National Highway and Transportation Administration. The full Q4 2018 Recall Index is available at https://www.stericycleexpertsolutions.com/recall-index/.

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Woody’s Pet Food Deli is recalling three date codes of raw turkey pet food found by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to be contaminated with Salmonella. The agriculture department initiated testing after the Minnesota Department of Health identified a human case of Salmonella Reading linked to the pet food.

Public health officials discovered during their investigation that Woody’s Pet Deli raw turkey pet food was fed regularly to a pet in the household of the infected individual. The pet tested positive for a different strain of Salmonella.

Woody’s is a small Minnesota-based chain of pet food shops, with locations in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Woodbury.

The recalled product was sold in 5-pound plastic containers, identified as “Woody’s Pet Food Deli Raw Free Range Turkey,” and bearing one of the following Use By dates: 01/10/20, 01/12/20, 01/15/20.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an ongoing multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Reading infections linked to raw turkey products from multiple sources. The outbreak has been in progress since November 2017. As of Dec. 18, 2018, there had been 216 cases of Salmonella Reading illnesses reported in 38 states. One person has died and 84 have been hospitalized. 

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has been tracking 33 Salmonella illnesses in six provinces. Those patients are linked to raw turkey and raw chicken products. The same outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading has been recovered from both Canadian and U.S. patients.

No single source or supplier in either the United States or Canada of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has been identified that could account for the whole outbreak.

In November 2018 and again in December 2018, Jennie-O-Turkey Store Sales in Wisconsin and Minnesota respectively recalled nearly 128 tons of raw ground turkey products that were associated with the Salmonella Reading outbreak.

This is the second pet food recall linked to the Salmonella Reading outbreak. In February 2018, Raws for Paws recalled about 4,000 pounds of ground turkey pet food after two children were infected with Salmonella Reading. The outbreak strain was recovered from samples of the Raws for Paws food fed to pets in the household where the children lived. One of the two children was hospitalized with osteomyelitis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection in people usually include diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. Infected pets may experience diarrhea, fever and vomiting, or may be without symptoms. Even asymptomatic pets may shed Salmonella in their feces, spreading the infection in the environment.

Individuals who have purchased the recalled Woody’s product should throw it out or return it for a full refund. Consumers with questions should telephone their Woody’s store or contact the company by email at info@woodyspetdeli.com.

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