Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay
A recent study published in the Journal of Food Protection describes the phenomenon where the majority of Salmonella in chicken comes from a small sample of the products in the marketplace.
The paper, Risk Assessment Predicts Most of the Salmonellosis Risk in Raw Chicken Parts is Concentrated in Those Few Products with High Levels of High-Virulence Serotypes of Salmonella, answer a serious question. Why are people still getting sick, and what can be done about it?
Recent initiatives have driven the path toward reducing Salmonella in commercial poultry products. These initiatives have, in fact, been successful.
Why then, has safer poultry manufacturing processes and reduced prevalence of Salmonella in U.S. raw poultry products not translated to fewer human illnesses?
First, let’s discuss Salmonella bacteria.
Salmonella is the bacteria responsible for the illness salmonellosis. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Salmonella bacteria are responsible for about 1.35 million infections in the United States each year. These lead to around 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths.
Food is the primary source of these illnesses.
Salmonella infection symptoms can begin anywhere from six hours to six days after exposure.
Most people experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that last about a week (four to seven days).
Normally healthy individuals can usually recover from their illness on their own without medical intervention. However, those in higher risk groups and people with severe symptoms may need hospitalization, antibiotic treatment, and IV fluids.
The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration estimated in 2023 that 18.6% of foodborne salmonellosis illnesses are attributed to chicken.
Most people are not shocked by this revelation. Salmonella and chicken have been synonymous for as long as we can remember.
However, the study also determined that the types of Salmonella found in these chicken samples are the most dangerous serotypes.
There are over 2,600 different serotypes of Salmonella bacteria. Each serotype belongs to the Salmonella family, however individual strains have unique characteristics.
The CDC FoodNet surveillance systems identifies that three Salmonella strains that are most commonly associated with human illnesses and outbreaks.
These include:
Based on this data, collected from all reported human salmonellosis cases between 1996 to 2022, these three serotypes are collectively responsible for 40% of human Salmonella illnesses.
Studies have demonstrated that the safe poultry production protocols are working.
Contamination is measured by CFU’s or “colony forming units.” These CFU data is used to determine the concentration of viable bacteria in a sample.
The majority of chicken sold on the market have less than 1 CFU. Meaning, nearly negligible amounts of Salmonella bacteria were found in these samples.
However, 1.3% of poultry samples contained more than 1 CFU/g of Salmonella. This accounts for 99.8% of reported Salmonella illnesses.
Despite recent strategies to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry, such as vaccines, sanitation controls, and testing requirements, more must be done to reduce Salmonella in chicken.
In a call to action, the study proposes specific interventions to reduce Salmonella infections associated with poultry products.
One significant contribution the study suggests is to improve process control measures by setting control limits for Salmonella levels and emphasize routine monitoring and process improvement.
One approach sets two different control limits. One limit is set as an “internal upper control limit” meant to act as an actionable level. Something like >10 CFU/g. An additional control limit of >10 CFU/g indicating “a true public health failure” establishes a range.
Why would this be necessary? According to the study, “such a process control approach would allow for routine monitoring and process improvement through corrective action, without relying on a lot-specific microbial criterion to identify failed lots.”
Poultry vaccination already exists. However, current data shows that despite these efforts people are still falling ill. Vaccinating poultry for specific, high-risk serotypes like Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Salmonella Newport could reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry products.
Another initiative suggested by the US. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) involves developing new, enforceable final product standards. One suggestion would make 1 CFU/g of Salmonella in Not Ready to Eat, breaded stuffed chicken products classified as an “adulterant.”
Specific situations like this would help reduce future outbreaks, in that Not Ready to Eat breaded, stuffed chicken products are often undercooked. In fact, 11 Salmonella outbreaks spanning from 1998 to 2022 have been linked to this product alone.
If you become sick from eating poultry, there are a few steps you can take to help yourself get through the illness.
Dehydration is a serious concern with any diarrheal or vomiting illness. Your organs and brain require water to function properly. When you are losing more fluids than you are able to replace, dehydration can occur.
Drink plenty of fluids, consider electrolyte and water enhancers, and avoid sugary drinks and caffeine.
Monitor symptoms for dehydration. These include reduced frequency of urination, dry mouth and throat, and dizziness upon standing.
Seek medication attention if symptoms become severe or you appear dehydrated.
If you have become sick as part of a cluster of illnesses or an outbreak, your interview data can contribute to a traceback investigation. Write down all of the foods you have eaten and where you got them as soon as possible while the information is still fresh in your mind.
Investigators may request receipts, leftover food samples, or even shopper card information to track down specific foods.
You are not alone. Getting advice from a Listeria lawyer can take some of the stress off of your situation. The experienced Listeria lawyers at The Lange Law Firm, PLLC know the questions to ask, the information to obtain, and your rights.
Call (833) 330-3663 for a free consultation or click here to fill out an online submission form. A member of their compassionate team will go over the details of your situation to help you decide if you have a legal case. Don’t wait. Get the answers you need and the justice you deserve.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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