OT: Pot pie recall due to Salmonella Contamination

SafeFood Listserv recipients,

I am forwarding this message received from Tony Flood with IFIC Food

Safety Communications regarding an outbreak of salmonellosis linked

to ConAgra Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies. Theoretically, Salmonella

should be adequately destroyed by proper cooking. That there have

been 139 cases linked to ConAgra pot pies in 30 states indicates

that either people are not adequately cooking these before eating

and/or the load of Salmonella in the pot pies is excessively high

and not getting adequately destroyed during what sort of cooking or

microwaving is being done.

Pat Kendall

From Tony Flood

Public Health Alert: Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies

As you may already know, usda fsis issued a public health alert late

yesterday regarding potential salmonella contamination in turkey and

chicken pot pies. see:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_100907_01/index.asp for

more information. Briefly, “The Agency is advising consumers not to

eat or to discard these chicken or turkey pot pie products until we

are able to determine the source, products and potential production

dates of contamination and to verify proper cooking instructions for

these not-ready-to-eat products. We will provide updates as further

information becomes available.”

There has been major news coverage about this alert from MSNBC

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21209566/ to ap / new york times (below)

and we are providing the “consumers guide to food safety risks” as

appropriate consumer information via http://www.ific.org.

as a trusted food safety media expert, please let us know if you are

available over the next few days to respond to any media calls that

we may receive.

thanks in advance for your willingness to provide consumer

information on this much needed issue. and as always, please feel

free to give us a call if you have any questions.

regards,

tony flood

director, food safety communications

ific

202/296-4630 – direct

+++

ConAgra Pies May Be Linked To Salmonella

associated press

october 10, 2007; Page D5

OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods Inc. voluntarily stopped production

yesterday at the Missouri plant that makes its Banquet pot pies

after health officials said the pies may be linked to 139 cases of

salmonella in 30 states.

ConAgra officials believe the company’s pies are safe if they are

cooked properly, but the company told consumers not to eat its

chicken or turkey pot pies until the government and company

investigations are complete.

The Department of Agriculture also issued a health alert to warn

consumers about the link between the company’s product and the

salmonella cases.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been

tracking reports of the salmonella cases since last Wednesday. A CDC

spokeswoman said the largest numbers of salmonella cases had been

reported in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the U.S. and kills

about 600. Most of the deaths are among people with weaker immune

systems such as the elderly or young. Most cases of salmonella

poisoning are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken.

So far no deaths have been linked to the pot pies.

Earlier this year, ConAgra had to recall all of its peanut butter

because it was linked to a different salmonella outbreak.

Pat Kendall, PhD, rd

professor and extension specialist

department of food science and human nutrition

colorado state university

fort collins, co 80523-1571

voice: 970-491-1945

fax: 970-491-7252

kendall@cahs.colostate.edu