Recall Basics: What You Need to Know About the Stuffed Frozen Chicken Recall

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One of the largest food recalls in recent history is currently underway.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Barber Foods has recalled approximately 1.7 million pounds of frozen, raw stuffed chicken products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis.  Here’s what you need to know about this food recall and to keep your family safe from the risk of foodborne illness.

  • Don’t panic.  Not all food recall are a major threat to your health and safety.  It’s important to check www.foodsafety.gov for latest information about food recalls.
  • Don’t eat the food.  And please don’t donate it, give it to someone else, or feed it to a pet.
  • Don’t open the food, even if it’s just to take a photo to share in Facebook or Twitter.  If you do open it, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
  • Check the recall notice to find out what to do with the food.  You might be best advised to return the product, or dispose of it properly.

Why is Salmonella such a public health concern?

According to the CDC:

Each year, Salmonella causes one million illnesses in the United States, with 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths.  Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

If you have this product in your home, be sure to check the “affected code dates” to determine whether the product is actually being recalled.  This will help you determine what steps to take to be safe.  Look for and identify specific listings of the recalled product.  The most recent listings are available on the FDA website here.  

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