Advocacy group calls on USDA to identify turkey brands linked to deadly salmonella outbreak

<p>Consumer Reports has urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify the brands of turkey linked to a strain of Salmonella which has killed at least one person and sicked hundreds of others across 35 states, the organization say.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 15, 2018, 12:46 PM

Updated 2,153 days ago

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Consumer Reports has urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify the brands of turkey linked to a strain of Salmonella which has killed at least one person and sicked hundreds of others across 35 states, the organization say.  
Consumer Reports says the outbreak in raw turkey products has been going on for a year, but neither the turkey industry or the USDA has released any information about which brands are making people sick.
With only a week to go until Thanksgiving, many American's are concerned about having turkey on their tables, Jean Halloran, Director of Food Policy Initiatives for Consumer Reports says. 
"The USDA should immediately make public which turkey producers, suppliers, and brands are involved in this outbreak — especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner," Halloran says. 
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 74 new cases.
The total is now 164 people infected from 35 states.
At least 63 people have been hospitalized since July after consuming tainted turkey products, including one death from California.
A common supplier of the raw turkey products has not been identified.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include nausea, fever and stomach cramps.
The CDC recommends raw turkey be handled carefully and cooked thoroughly to prevent food poisoning. 
Officials say the current outbreak is a reminder raw turkey products can have germs that spread around food preparation areas and can make you sick.