Are you planning on having turkey burgers for dinner? Well, you might want to reconsider that meal and any other meal that contains turkey. According to a recent announcement made by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there’s an alarming salmonella outbreak happening right now, and it has been linked to raw turkey. So far, 90 people in 26 states have been infected. Every week, it seems like there’s a new outbreak related to our favorite foods, which makes us want to cover our ears (and maybe mouths) and hide. However, we must continue to stay informed as we try to prevent contamination.
The CDC also stated that the outbreak is “widespread in the turkey industry.” This means that no single source or turkey product has been identified as the cause of this outbreak. A majority of the victims interviewed by the CDC had eaten either ground turkey, turkey pieces, or whole turkeys from various stores and brands before getting sick, according to CNN.
Two victims were even contaminated by contact with their pets, due to them being fed raw turkey.
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The list of states with reports of raw turkey-related salmonella infections is quite extensive. The CDC released a list, which includes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Woah. It seems like no one is safe right now.
Unfortunately, raw turkey products have not been removed from stores. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is monitoring this outbreak closely, and has reached out to all turkey manufacturers and agents about ways to prevent and reduce this current contamination.
If you have recently eaten or come into contact with raw turkey and are experiencing stomach cramps, diarrhea, or a fever, seek professional help immediately. These are salmonella symptoms and require professional treatment. Hopefully, this crisis will be regulated soon, so we can all get back to enjoying our beloved, juicy turkey burgers this summer.
Here’s what you can do at home to keep yourself and your family safe as this outbreak occurs.
The CDC advises that you thoroughly wash your hands before and after contact with raw turkey meat. Make sure you cook raw turkey internally to 165 degrees, and reheat any leftovers to 165 degrees as well. Wash your hands, cutting boards, countertops, and any other appliances that have come into contact with the raw turkey. Also, avoid feeding raw turkey to your pets.
