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August 3, 2011 (San Diego)—Ground turkey has been linked to 77 cases of salmonella nationwide, including six in California and at least one in San Diego, California’s Department of Public Health confirms. One person has died in San Franciso from the contaminated meat.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the illnesses were first reported in early March. Interviews with victims found that about half of them had eaten ground turkey. Cultures from four ground turkey samples purchased from four retail locations between March 7 and June 27 were found to be tainted with the strain of salmonella. Three originated at the same production facility, which was not named.
On Friday, federal officials issued a public health alert for frozen and fresh ground turkey, urging people to properly handle and cook the product -- to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. No recalls have been issued.
"Go out, invest in a digital thermometer, they're fantastic," California Department of Public Health spokesman Mike Sicilia told KNX Newsradio, who also advised consumers to clean preparation surfaces with soap and water and “then do a little disinfectant job after that.”
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