MASSIVE Ground Turkey Recall - Got Some of These Brands in Your Freezer?

From thedailygreen.com

Months after illnesses were first reported, and days after the Department of Agriculture first issued an alert about salmonella contamination in ground turkey, Cargill has initiated one of the largest meat recalls in U.S. history.

Cargill is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey produced since February, though by now much of it would have been consumed. It's unclear how much meat is still on the market. Cargill is a $108 billion global food, farming, financial and industrial company, and through its subsidiaries it is one of the largest producers of beef and turkey products in the U.S.

The USDA has identified 79 people from 26 states made ill by exposure to Salmonella Heidelberg, a multi-antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria traced to a Cargill plant. One person has died, and officials believe the actual number of people made ill is much larger than the reported cases. Illnesses began to appear in March, but the USDA only warned consumers about the outbreak on July 29.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing concern, in great part because the meat industry routinely doses livestock with antibiotics in order to prevent disease on crowded, unhealthy feed lots. It's one of the chief concerns expressed, repeatedly, by food and environmental advocates who criticize the "industrial" food system. Whether or not this particular strain of salmonella originated because of feedlot conditions is unknown.

The New York Times reported:

Federal data shows that 10 to 15 percent of ground turkey typically is contaminated with salmonella. Federal data from tests in 2009 also showed that more than three-quarters of salmonella samples found on ground turkey was resistant to at least one type of antibiotic.

Those who thoroughly cooked the meat, and properly washed up after preparing food, are unlikely to have become ill, since cooking ground turkey to at least 165-degrees and washing hands and utensils with soapy water for 20 seconds is typically enough to kill the bacteria and prevent infection.

The ground turkey recall includes the following products with the establishment number "P-963" inside the USDA mark of inspection, with use or freeze-by dates of Feb. 2, 2011 through Aug. 23, 2011:

• 10 lb. chubs of Honeysuckle White Fresh Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 10 lb. chubs of Unbranded Ground Turkey w/ Natural Flavoring 2 Pack
• 80 oz. (5 lbs.) chubs of Riverside Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
• 10 lb. chubs of Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh Lean HEB Ground Turkey 93/7
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh HEB Ground Turkey 85/15
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
• 4-1 Pound Packages of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring Value Pack
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey
• 48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey Colored with Paprika
• 19.2 oz. (1 lb. 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
• 48.0 oz. (3 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
• 20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 48.0 oz. (3 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey Family Pack
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White Seasoned Italian Style Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 20 oz. (1 lb. 4 oz.) trays of Safeway Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 19.2 oz. (1.20 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
• 48 oz. (3.0 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey Family Pack
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Fit & Active Lean Ground Turkey 93/07
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Giant Eagle Ground Turkey Fresh & Premium Lean
• 19.2 oz. (1 lb 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh Lean 93/7
• 20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
• 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey Patties with "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Seasoned Turkey Patties Fresh 85/15, with "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
• 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey Burgers with Natural Flavoring with the following "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates: 07/09/11, 07/10/11, 07/11/11, 07/15/11, 07/16/11, 07/21/11, 07/22/11, 07/24/11, 08/01/11, or 08/04/11
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Spartan Ground Turkey
• 48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 40 lb. Bulk Packed Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring for Food Service Use Only
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This is more an FYI than anything else. If you cook your ground turkey thoroughly and make sure to use good kitchen habits ( like not contaminating things with raw turkey, washing hands, washing cutting boards in the dishwasher... ) you are fine. 

But if you have any of the brands above in your fridge or freezer...do not eat.