The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued an alert on possible salmonella contamination in a chicken salad sold at Costco Store No. 1190, located in Lynnwood in the state of Washington.
The chicken salad products included in the public health alert are those produced between Aug. 26 and Sept. 2. The product that comes with the name "Costco Rotisserie Chicken Salad" is sold directly to customers that visit the Costco Store in Lynnwood. The chicken salad produced during the said date is available in varying weights.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is said to have called FSIS's attention on illness linked to salmonella infection in Washington on Sept. 26. The FSIS, along with the Washington State Department of Health and the CDC, found that the rotisserie chicken salad sold in the specified store could be causing the illness.
The federal services that investigated the issue identified four cases linked to salmonella outbreak in the region between Sept. 4 and Sept. 6 with the help of epidemiological evidence. It was revealed on further investigation that three patients consumed the rotisserie chicken salad bought from the said Costco outlet on Aug. 26, Aug. 31 and Sept. 2. However, none of the suspected products tested positive for the particular strain of salmonella associated with the infection.
When clinical isolates were subjected to an antibiotic resistance test, three were found to be resistant to only one of the antibiotics used in the treatment of salmonellosis, which was tetracycline. The agencies are, however, working in full swing on the issue in order to contain a possible salmonella outbreak in the locality.
Salmonellosis is a food-borne infection caused by salmonella, marked by symptoms including abdominal cramps, diarrhea and fever experienced within 12 to 72 hours of consumption of contaminated food. People suffering salmonellosis usually recover within four to seven days of illness.
Meanwhile, people that bought the chicken salad on Aug. 26, Aug. 31 and Sept. 2 are warned not to eat it and are also asked to either dispose or return the product to the place of purchase.
"FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume rotisserie chicken that has been cooked to a temperature of 165° F," reads the public health alert.
To know whether rotisserie chicken is cooked thoroughly at the said temperature, people are advised to make use of a food thermometer that is capable of measuring the internal temperature accurately. People are also recommended to wash their hands for 20 seconds prior to and after handling raw meat products and poultry. Using separate chopping boards for cutting meat and vegetables is also recommended.
