New York Firm Recalls Chicken Livers Tied to Salmonella Outbreak

Schreiber Processing Corporation, of Maspeth, New York, is recalling an undetermined amount of its broiled chicken liver products that are linked to a cluster of <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/food_poisoning">Salmonella illnesses in New Jersey and New York, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) just announced. The FSIS is collaborating with states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the ongoing investigation.

This recall has been deemed a Class I, which means this is a health hazard situation in which there exists a reasonable probability that the use of the recalled product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

The Salmonellosis illnesses are linked to consumption of broiled chicken livers, which appear to be ready-to-eat. The broiled chicken livers are, in fact only partially cooked and require full cooking prior to consumption. Salmonellosis illnesses are also linked to chopped liver made from this product at retail stores.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg was isolated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets from samples of Schreiber Processing broiled chicken livers, and chopped chicken livers produced at retail from these livers. The product would have been repackaged and will not bear original packaging information. The outbreak strain PFGE pattern does not match the Salmonella Heidelberg strain linked to ground turkey recalled earlier this year. It remains unclear if this particular strain has any drug resistance; however, any drug resistance findings will be announced by the agency when available. Also when available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at: www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

Each bag or box bears the establishment number “P-787” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The recalled chicken liver product was distributed to retail stores and institutional users in Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania and involves:

• 10-pound boxes with two, five-pound bags of “Meal Mart Broiled Chicken Liver; Made for Further Thermal Processing”
• 10-pound boxes of loose packed “Chicken Liver Broiled”

Mordechai Milworn of Schreiber Processing Corporation can be reached at 1.718.894.2000. Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1.888.MPHotline (1.888.674.6854) is available in English and Spanish from l0:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours daily.

The most common symptoms of salmonellosis—Salmonella infection—are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever with symptoms manifesting, usually, within six to 72 hours. Additional symptoms include chills, headache, nausea, and vomiting that can last up to seven days. The illness usually lasts four to seven days; however, in some, the organism can invade the bloodstream, becoming so severe that hospitalization is required. Sometimes, infection with the Salmonella pathogen can result in, and produce more, severe or chronic illnesses. Salmonella can be dangerous, sometimes deadly, leaving sufferers with serious life-long health issues. Salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial food borne illnesses, can be especially life threatening to those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or who are undergoing chemotherapy.