FSIS Issues Public Health Alert after Hundreds Sickened by Salmonella

Cinnaminson, NJ, October 17, 2013

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert due to concerns that illnesses caused by strains of Salmonella are associated with raw chicken products produced by three facilities in California.

According to the FSIS alert, “This public health alert is being issued after an estimated 278 illnesses were recently reported in 18 states, predominantly in California. The outbreak is continuing.” The company that owns the three facilities in California that has been linked to the outbreak had a similar problem in July when over 100 people in 13 states became ill.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that since the 1990s, 45 Salmonella outbreaks have been linked to live poultry. CDC reports, “Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.”

One of the leading food testing laboratories in North America that helps food manufacturers, retailers, regulators and the general public test for food pathogens is EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Every year, approximately 42,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States,” reported Joy Dell’Aringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Director at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “The CDC estimates that 400 people die each year from acute salmonellosis. These figures are high and through proper testing and food safety handling procedures, these numbers could be dramatically lower. At EMSL, we provide testing services to rapidly and accurately identify Salmonella and a wide range of other foodborne pathogens.”

EMSL has sponsored a video about Salmonella that can be seen at:

http://youtu.be/1v59mjWwJZ8

To learn more about testing for Salmonella and other food testing services, please visit www.FoodTestingLab.com or www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com .

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of food, environmental and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical

(1) 1-800-220-3675

jfrasca@emsl.com