On April 1, 2011, another loud alarm sounded about possible Salmonella contamination in the U.S. This time, the bug was Salmonella Hadar  possibly in poultry, and, in this instance, may have been present in Jennie-O® Turkey burgers.  Jennie-O® of  Wilmar, Minnesota, recalled approximately 55,000 lbs. of frozen and raw ground turkey meat product and the FDA investigation of how the contamination may have occurred continues. However, while FoodSafety.gov calls people's attention the problem--we know that there may still be product on grocery shelves and in home freezers.

To be specific, the Food and Drug Administration's recall notice identified: "The 4-pound boxes of Jennie-O Turkey Store® "All Natural Turkey Burgers with seasonings Lean White Meat,." Each box contains 12 1/3-pound individually wrapped burgers. A use-by date of "DEC 23 2011" and an identifying lot code of "32710" through "32780" are inkjetted on the side panel of each box, just above the opening tear strip. Establishment number "P-7760" is located within the USDA mark of inspection on the front of each box. The products were packaged on Nov. 23, 2010, and were distributed to retail establishments nationwide." 

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/hadar0411/040411/index.html

Salmonella is nothing to take lightly.  Symptoms of salmonella infection are diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, which may be experienced 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness can last from 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment.  The most vulnerable to Salmonella are young children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems due to disease or other infirmity. A severe Salmonella infection left untreated can cause death. Whether or not we are exposed to this or other strains of Salmonella, it's important to review these food safe handling cautions, especially as warmer weather prevails and the frequency of family camping, picnicking and barbequing picks up speed!  Here are a few food safe handling tips to keep in mind when preparing food for our families:

• Wash your hands, kitchen work surfaces (such as cutting boards and counter tops) and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have had contact with raw meat, poultry or fish; make sure all cooking pots, pans and lids are squeaky clean; disinfect food contact surfaces with a sanitizing agent and rinse away the sanitizing agent completely;
• Cross-contamination of foods can happen easily--do not use the same utensils for different uncooked and cooked foods; make sure to wash utensils that have been used with cooked or uncooked foods, thoroughly;
• Cook meat and poultry thoroughly. When roasting poultry or meat in an oven, the oven temperature should be no lower than 325˚F.
• Invest in a food or "meat" thermometer and cook beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops to a safe minimum internal temperature of at least 145°F, pork to 160°F, and ground beef, veal, and lamb to at least 160°F. Poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of at least 165°F throughout the product.
• When reheating foods, they should be reheated thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165 °F or until hot and steaming.
• If you are served uncooked meat or poultry in a restaurant, send it back to the kitchen for additional cooking.
• Very important: Especially if raw meat or poultry have been left unrefrigerated or uncooked for too long, bacteria may grow and produce toxins which can cause foodborne illness. Some toxins are heat resistant and are not destroyed by cooking. Therefore, even though cooked, meat and poultry mishandled in the raw state may not be safe to eat even after proper preparation. Definitely read the food safe handling cautions on packaged meat and poultry.