A poultry processor in northwestern Wisconsin has issued a recall of more than 2,000 pounds worth of chicken and turkey meat out of fears it may have been exposed to a chemical used as a disinfectant.
The announcement was made by U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Thursday.
Ridgeland-based AA Poultry Processing, LLC is recalling its products of whole and cut turkey and chicken pieces produced between May 4 and May 11 after finding out they were contaminated with a disinfectant called trichloro-s-triazinetrione. The substance is commonly used as an algaecide, or granular shock agent, and as a sanitizer.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the poultry products affected by the recall have the establishment number "P-45525" included within their mark of inspection provided by the agency.
The USDA said the live poultry were taken to AA Poultry's facility for processing, after which the chicken and turkey carcasses were delivered back to the owners in the state.
In-plant personnel of the FSIS first became aware of the possible contamination while conducting their routine inspection duties.
The USDA said there are no reported incidents of people experiencing adverse allergic responses after consuming the affected products. The agency, however, urged residents to contact a health care provider if they may have suffered an injury or illness caused by the recalled poultry products.
The news of the potential contamination and subsequent recall of the poultry products add to the growing concern for supplies in Wisconsin following the recent string of avian influenza outbreak in poultry farms across the state.
The bird flu epidemic in Wisconsin has already affected an estimated 1.6 million birds.
Trichloro-s-triazinetrione
The chemical trichloro-s-triazinetrione, also known as trichloroisocyanuric, is often used [pdf] to disinfect spas and swimming pools, according to the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals. It contains the highest level of chlorine among granular and tablet pool sanitizing agents except for gaseous chlorine.
Trichloro-s-triazinetrione is applied by dissolving the chemical in pool water to destroy contaminants such as urine, sweat and debris.
The chlorine-based agent is known to cause sneezing and coughing if inhaled. It also causes severe irritation on the eyes and the skin, and burns the mouth and stomach if ingested.
Photo: Eugenia Loli | Flickr
