Frozen Chicken Sold at Aldi, Other Stores Recalled Over Salmonella

Three brands of breaded stuffed poultry dishes shipped nationwide

frozen product recall shows two of the chicken prepared foods being recalled

Courtesy Milford Valley

By:

Aaron Kassraie,

AARP

Published August 17, 2021

Several products containing frozen raw chicken were identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be the cause of an outbreak of salmonella that has made 28 people sick in eight states.

Victims ranging from 3 to 83 years old were infected with the same strain of Salmonella enteritidis between Feb. 21 and June 28. Although no deaths have been reported, 11 of the infected individuals were hospitalized.

Public health officials interviewed sick people about foods they ate in the week before they fell ill and found that 13 of the 21 people they spoke with reported eating frozen breaded and stuffed chicken products.

The CDC estimates the true number of infections is likely higher than reported because people are not regularly tested for salmonella and many who are infected recover without medical care. Recent illnesses may not be included in the total because it takes up to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

recalled frozen prepared chicken products chicken and broccoli with cheese and chicken cordon bleu from kirkwood milford valley and dutch farms

Courtesy Kirkwood, Milford Valley and Dutch Farms

Recalled chicken products

Serenade Foods, a Milford, Indiana, company, recalled approximately 59,251 pounds of its frozen, raw breaded and pre-browned stuffed chicken products that were manufactured on Feb. 24 and 25. The recalled products include:

Dutch Farms Chicken with Broccoli & Cheese (lot code BR 1055; best if used by Feb. 24, 2023)
Milford Valley Chicken with Broccoli & Cheese (lot code BR 1055; best if used by Feb. 24, 2023)
Milford Valley Chicken Cordon Bleu (lot code CB 1055; best if used by Feb. 24, 2023)
Kirkwood Raw Stuffed Chicken, Broccoli & Cheese (lot code BR 1055; best if used by Feb. 24, 2023)
Kirkwood Raw Stuffed Chicken Cordon Bleu (lot code CB 1056; best if used by Feb. 25, 2023)

The products were shipped nationwide and sold at a variety of grocery stores including Aldi, which stocked the recalled Kirkwood products in 30 states. All products have the establishment number P-2375 inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mark of inspection.

The USDA noted that although the products appear ready-to-eat they are actually raw and need to be fully cooked by following the product cooking instructions until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

States with salmonella cases

Arizona
Connecticut
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Nevada
New York

Source: CDC

Shoppers who purchased the recalled stuffed chicken products are advised to throw them away or return them to the store where they were purchased. Make sure to wash any surfaces and containers that may have touched the recalled food with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Symptoms of a salmonella infection

States with salmonella cases

Arizona
Connecticut
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Nevada
New York

Source: CDC

Infections caused by salmonella bacteria lead to about 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the U.S. annually, the CDC estimates. Tainted food is the primary cause of these illnesses.

Those who contract salmonellosis, the intestinal infection caused by the bacteria, typically experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. In severe cases, the infection can spread from the intestines to urine, blood, bones, joints, spinal fluid or the brain. Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last up to seven days. But in some instances, symptoms appear weeks after infection or symptoms persist for weeks, according to the CDC.

Infections are diagnosed with a lab test. Although most people can recover without antibiotics, one is recommended for anyone with a severe illness. Antibiotics are also recommended for infected adults older than 65 (or over 50 if an underlying condition such as heart disease is present), infants and those with weakened immune systems.

How to cook frozen chicken products safely

Follow cooking instructions as they are written on the label. Do not cook raw stuffed chicken using a microwave, air fryer, or other method not indicated on the label because it does not always fully cook raw chicken.
Use a food thermometer to check that chicken reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature that kills harmful bacteria.
Wash your hands before and after handling any form of raw chicken.
Keep raw chicken away from food that will be eaten uncooked and food that has already been cooked.

Source: CDC

Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English.

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