On October 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Aspen Foods has recalled 561,000 lbs of frozen, raw, stuffed, and breaded chicken products due to possible contamination by Salmonella Enteritidis.
In a news release published by FSIS, the health risk is described as “high”, having been ranked as “Class I”, meaning “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The frozen, raw, stuffed, and breaded chicken products appear to be ready-to-eat (RTE), and were produced from August 25, 2015 to September 17, 2015 with “best if used by” dates of August 23, 2016 to December 15, 2016.
The affected brands of this recall include:
• Acclaim
• Antioch Farms
• Buckley Farms
• Centrella Signature
• Chestnut Farms
• Family Favorites
• Home Dining Selections
• Kirkwood
• Koch Foods
• Market Day
• Oven Cravers
• Rose
• Rosebud Farm
• Roundy’s
• Safeway Kitchens
• Schwan’s
• Shaner’s
• Spartan
• Sysco
To see a complete detailed list of affected products and labels, visit the FSIS News Release.
Aspen Food Expands July Recall Amid Continuing Salmonella Concern
On July 15, 2015, Aspen Foods issued their original recall, affecting approximately 1,978,680 pounds of chicken items. Combined with the expanded recall, 2,539,680 pounds of frozen, raw, stuffed, and breaded chicken have been recalled to date. The recalled products, which appeared to be ready-to-eat (RTE), were produced from April 15, 2015 to July 10, 2015 with “best if used by” dates between July 14, 2016 and October 10, 2016.
After this original recall, the FDA increased their vigilance of Aspen Foods, and “conducted intensified sampling” of the establishment’s facilities to ensure that the hazard responsible for the initial Salmonella contamination had been eradicated. Results from FSIS sampling revealed positive results that matched the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis to Aspen Foods products. With this and additional information, Aspen Foods chose to recall additional products in an effort to prevent additional illness. The scope of this recall expansion now includes all products associated with contaminated source material.
To learn more about this first Salmonella contamination recall, visit the FDA News Release – July 15, 2015.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.
Information on Salmonella
Salmonellosis is an infection caused a bacterium called Salmonella. One of the most common foodborne illnesses, it occurs when food contaminated by Salmonella is consumed. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1,027,561 cases of salmonellosis occur in the United States each year. Approximately 400 of those cases result in death.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection may include diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and joint pain. Symptoms usually appear 6 to 72 hours after the ingestion of contaminated food.
While most people recover within 4 to 7 days, diarrhea and vomiting may become so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In more severe cases, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream and other body sites. This can result in death, unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to suffer severe salmonellosis symptoms and its complications.
A small number of people who are infected with Salmonella will develop Reiter’s Syndrome, also referred to as “reactive arthritis.” This syndrome is characterized by joint pain, irritation of the eyes (conjunctivitis), and painful urination. Some patients who experience Reiter’s Syndrome will go on to develop chronic arthritis.
PREPARING PRODUCT FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION
Visit our Salmonella Fact Page for more information on Salmonella Food Poisoning.
SALMONELLA LAWSUITS AND FOOD POISONING LAWSUIT HELP
The The Weinberg Law Firm is currently assisting victims of food poisoning outbreaks seek legal compensation for their injuries. If you or a loved one was sickened after consuming a Salmonella contaminated product and you have a question regarding you legal rights, please call our law firm toll free at 1-877-934-6274 for a free food poisoning lawsuit evaluation.
