Local Food Vendors React to Salmonella Outbreak

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends, but this year it’s also time to exercise caution.

Recent reports from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention show a Salmonella outbreak in turkey products. The outbreak has sent 63 people to the hospital nationwide and has reportedly killed one person in California.

“It hasn’t happened in Mississippi, but that would ruin a restaurant if you’re the one that has that outbreak,” says 1883 Smokehouse owner Mark Welch.

Welch says employees at 1883 Smokehouse have been well trained on how to properly handle poultry products.

“We take our safe-serve classes anyway, so we stay with the same thing no matter if there’s an outbreak or not. The policies are the same. If you’re handling chicken and turkeys and poultry– they’re all the same,” says Welch.

The CDC reports that Jennie O stores in Barron, Wisconsin recalled approximately 91,388 pounds of ground turkey products. However, strains of Salmonella have also been found in live turkeys. Welch says how the meat is prepared and cooked is the key to ensuring safety.

“Well you know all turkeys come in frozen, so you go through a thaw period in a walk-in cooler for two to three days depending on what size they are,” says Welch.

The CDC recommends cooking your Turkey to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that any possible strain of bacteria is killed.

“They all come with a little pop up there that pops up red when they are done– so that helps a layman. But you have to take it to 165, and those little pop-ups are designed not to go off until that happens,” says Welch.

Welch also says there’s really nothing to fear this holiday season as long as people are careful.

“It’s really a basically simple process. Clean as you go, and make sure you sanitize.,” says Welch.

As of November 15th, there have been no reports of a person being hospitalized over Salmonella in turkey products in the state of Mississippi.