15 with Salmonella Enteritidis from Barber Chicken
CDC, several states, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to raw, frozen, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees produced by Barber Foods. This outbreak was not connected with an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to raw, frozen, stuffed chicken entrees produced by Aspen Foods.
Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that were part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA “fingerprinting” is performed on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people using techniques called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS gives a more detailed DNA fingerprint than PFGE. PulseNet manages a national database of these DNA fingerprints to identify possible outbreaks of enteric illness. Two DNA fingerprints (outbreak strains) of Salmonella Enteritidis, shown to be closely related genetically, were involved in this outbreak.
A total of 15 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Enteritidis were reported from seven states. The number of ill people reported from each state was as follows: Connecticut (1), Illinois (2), Minnesota (8), New Hampshire (1), New York (1), Oklahoma (1), and Wisconsin (1).
Illness onset dates ranged from April 5, 2015 to July 27, 2015. Ill people ranged in age from 4 years to 82, with a median age of 32, and 60% were female. Among 10 people with available information, 4 (40%) were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback information indicated that raw, frozen, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees produced by Barber Foods was the likely source of this outbreak.
In interviews, ill people answered questions about foods eaten and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Of 10 people for whom information was known, 9 (90%) reported eating a frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken entree produced by Barber Foods in the week before becoming ill.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Department of Agriculture (MDA) collected 15 samples of unopened frozen chicken entrees produced by Barber Foods from retail locations for laboratory testing. MDA isolated Salmonella from 14 of these samples; an outbreak strain was isolated from one sample. In addition, MDH and MDA collected four samples of unopened Barber Foods chicken Kiev from two ill persons’ homes for laboratory testing. MDA and MDH isolated a Salmonella outbreak strain from three of these samples which were collected from both households.
As a result of the outbreak investigation, on July 2, 2015, Barber Foods recalled approximately 58,320 pounds of Chicken Kiev because it may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The product subject to recall included a 2 lb., 4 oz. box containing six individually pouched pieces of “Barber Foods Premium Entrees Breaded-Boneless Raw Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat Kiev” with use by/sell by dates of April 28, 2016, May 20, 2016, and July 21, 2016. The product was available for purchase at Sam’s Club retail stores in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
On July 12, 2015, Barber Foods expanded its recall to include 1.7 million pounds of frozen, raw stuffed chicken products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The recall included Chicken Kiev as well as other types of frozen chicken products. The chicken products were produced between February 17, 2015 and May 20, 2015. The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “P-276” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products were shipped to retail locations nationwide and Canada and sold under many different brand names.
On July 13, 2015, Omaha Steaks announced a recall of stuffed chicken breast products manufactured by Barber Foods that may be contaminated with Salmonella. A small amount of the product was sold under the Omaha Steaks label and bears the establishment number “P-4230A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
5 with Salmonella Enteritidis from Aspen Chicken
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Department of Agriculture (MDA), CDC, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees produced by Aspen Foods. This outbreak was not connected with an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to raw, frozen, stuffed chicken entrees produced by Barber Foods.
Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that were part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA “fingerprinting” is performed on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people using techniques called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS gives a more detailed DNA fingerprint than PFGE. PulseNet manages a national database of these DNA fingerprints to identify possible outbreaks. Two DNA fingerprints (outbreak strains) were included in this investigation. Because the outbreak strains of Salmonella Enteritidis included in this investigation are common in the PulseNet database, WGS was performed to help identify which illnesses were related to this outbreak.
A total of five people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Enteritidis were reported from Minnesota.
Illness onset dates ranged from May 9, 2015 to July 22, 2015. Ill people ranged in age from 14 years to 68, with a median age of 30, and 60% were male. Two (40%) were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback information indicated that frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees produced by Aspen Foods was the likely source of this outbreak.
MDH and MDA collected 30 samples of unopened Antioch Farms brand frozen chicken entrees produced by Aspen Foods from retail locations for laboratory testing. MDA isolated Salmonella from 25 of these samples. A review of the PulseNet database was conducted to identify any illnesses from strains of Salmonella isolated from these food samples. WGS determined that two Salmonella Enteritidis isolates from people in Minnesota were closely related genetically to one another and to an isolate from a food sample. During interviews, both ill people reported consuming Antioch Farms brand frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken entrees produced by Aspen Foods in the week before their illness began. As a result of these findings, both ill people were added to the total case count for this outbreak.
On July 15, 2015, Aspen Foods recalled approximately 1.9 million pounds of frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The recall included products sold under many different brand names, including Antioch Farms, and were shipped to retail stores and food service locations nationwide. The chicken products were produced between April 15, 2015 and July 10, 2015. The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “P-1358” on the packaging.
On September 17, 2015, USDA-FSIS reported that frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken products produced by Aspen Foods were confirmed as having the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis. USDA-FSIS reported that it cannot have confidence in the safety of any of these products produced between July 30, 2015 and September 17, 2015. Products bear the establishment number “P-1358” on the packaging and have “best if used by” dates between October 29, 2016 and December 16, 2016. These dates were calculated by USDA-FSIS using production dates and the 15-month shelf life of the products.
On October 2, 2015, Aspen Foods issued an expanded recall of approximately 561,000 pounds of frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken products that appear to be ready-to-eat and may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken products were produced between August 25, 2015 and September 17, 2015 with “best if used by” dates of August 23, 2016 to December 15, 2016. The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “P-1358” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and were shipped to retail stores and food service locations nationwide.