Cook chicken thoroughly according to meat thermometer instructions

The Daily Journal (San Mateo), Bay City News Service, 10/14/13.  "Costco recalls rotisserie chicken linked to Foster Farms salmonella outbreak."

Got these in your freezer?

Costco is recalling chicken products sold at a South San Francisco store last month in connection with a major outbreak of antibiotic resistant salmonella linked to Foster Farms chicken.  The products include rotisserie chickens, rotisserie chicken leg quarters, rotisserie chicken salad and rotisserie chicken soup sold at the store at 1600 El Camino Real between Sept. 11 and Sept. 23, the company said Saturday.

 ....  The salmonella outbreak has been linked to Foster Farms chicken distributed mainly to retailers in California, Oregon and Washington, and 73 percent of cases have been reported in California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and USDA.   Read article.

Related remedy -  Foster Farms Press Release, 10/10/13. "Foster Farms and FSIS reach agreement, California plants remain open. Comprehensive process and new technology to ensure safety."   "LIVINGSTON, Calif. – USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today reviewed Foster Farms’ safety plan for its three California facilities in Livingston and Fresno. This follows Foster Farms’ implementation of several new food safety controls over the last two months and the company’s commitment to install added processes during an enhanced inspection period over the next 90 days."

Well?

Related tracking and story -  US Center for Disease Control and Prevention tracking ("CDC 24/7:  Saving lives, protecting people." Another government agency temporarily closed down).  Huffington Post/Healthy Lifing, 10/8/13. "SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Health officials urged consumers to cook chicken thoroughly and take other precautions after an 18-state salmonella outbreak that has made hundreds sick in recent months.  A public health alert was issued for raw chicken packaged at three Foster Farms facilities in California as some 278 people have fallen ill since strains of Salmonella Heidelberg were first detected in March, the United States Department of Agriculture said in a statement Monday.  The strains were associated with chicken distributed to retail outlets in California, Oregon and Washington state, the USDA said. The illnesses have been predominantly in California but the salmonella has reached people from 18 states, the statement said." 

Related questions -  Ask.com, "Does cooking kill salmonella in chicken?" Answer, "Cooking chicken to the proper temperature will go a long way to killing any salmonella in it. The type of chicken you are cooking determines what the temperature should be. If you are eating ground up chicken, it should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit while whole pieces should be cooked to between 170 and 180 degrees."  Ask.com, "Does Freezing kill salmonella?"  Answer, "The actual freezing of salmonella does not kill it but it does stop the growth of the bacteria. It also depends on what kind of food it is because the bacteria can grow in certain foods after it has been defrosted so it is not really recommended to freeze with the intent to kill salmonella. Cooking is a more reliable way of killing salmonella but if a food product has salmonella in it, it is strongly recommended to just not eat it altogether. Cases of salmonella vary in severity but none of them are fun to deal with so it is best to probably not eat food or fruits that have salmonella bacteria in it."  New York Times/Science/CL Claiborne Ray, 12/27/94, "Fit to eat", "Freezing does not kill the bacteria in food, as can be seen from the recent outbreak of salmonella poisoning involving an ice cream product, said Dr. Robert Gravani, professor of food science at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and a food safety expert. "Freezing might destroy a few cells, but by and large, it just keeps the bacteria in suspended animation," he said. 

Cheap way to stay well
if you're careful and follow instructions

Related cooking -  Consumer Reports, "Meat thermometer buying guide."  "A meat thermometer doesn't cost much, but it can save hundreds of dollars in medical bills by ensuring that food is cooked enough to kill disease-causing salmonella, E. coli, and other bugs. If you're looking for information about meat thermometers, Consumer Reports is your best resource. Consumer Reports' meat thermometer reviews will give you honest buying advice that you can trust. Use our meat thermometer buying guide to discover which features are most important to consider. We also provide unbiased Ratings and meat thermometer reviews to help you choose the best meat thermometer for your needs"

Note Photographs:  "Don't be fooled" from The Marketing Operator. Packaged chicken by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images San Francisco Examiner, 10/14/13. Chickens in doctor's office from Brandon notices blog.  Meat thermometer from Consumer Reports above.

Posted by Kathy Meeh