Tyson Foods recalls 34,000 pounds of chicken from several states

Arkansas-based meat manufacturing and processing company Tyson Foods has announced a voluntary recall of almost 34,000 pounds of chicken over concerns about possible Salmonella contamination.

The chicken was distributed to institutional customers in Tennessee, California, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin. So far seven people have been affected by Salmonella bacteria, with two of them requiring hospitalization. The people who fell sick were from a correctional facility where uncooked mechanically separated chicken from Tyson Foods was shipped. After testing of the meat it was found to be contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg.

The cases were reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and an investigation was launched. The company announced the voluntary recall on Jan. 10, listing all establishment codes and code dates that could help identify the products to be withheld from the market.

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Salmonellosis can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, as well as fever, with the symptoms typically appearing within one to three days of consuming contaminated food products. Generally, if the tainted product is properly cooked, it is safe for consumption because Salmonella is eliminated at 165 degrees F. However, it is possible for the bacteria to be transferred from the raw poultry onto kitchen surfaces and then onto other food products that may be consumed raw.