An outbreak of salmonella has sickened seven people across four provinces, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Tuesday.
The majority of cases are male and the average age is 26; symptoms started between April and May. Four patients are in Alberta, and one each in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick.
Two people have been hospitalized as a result of the outbreak.
“Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to frozen raw breaded chicken products has been identified as a source of illness,” the health organization said in a release. “The risk to Canadians is low and illnesses can be avoided if safe food handling, preparation and cooking practices are followed when preparing these types of food products.”
The organization is reminding people of the following tips when cooking frozen raw breaded chicken products like nuggets, strips or burgers:
- Do not eat raw or undercooked frozen breaded chicken products. Cook all frozen breaded products to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F) to ensure they are safe to eat.
- Because of uneven heating, microwave cooking of frozen raw breaded poultry products including chicken nuggets, strips or burgers is not recommended. Always follow package cooking instructions, including products labelled Uncooked, Cook and Serve, Ready to Cook, and Oven Ready.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling frozen raw breaded chicken products.
- Use a separate plate, cutting board and utensils when handling frozen raw breaded chicken products to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
- Use a digital food thermometer to verify that frozen raw breaded chicken products have reached at least 74°C (165°F). Insert the digital food thermometer through the side of the product, all the way to the middle. Oven-safe meat thermometers that are designed for testing whole poultry and roasts during cooking are not suitable for testing nuggets, strips or burgers.
Symptoms of salmonella include fever, chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting, which usually start six to 72 hours after exposure to the bacteria from an infected animal/contaminated product.
Read more about salmonella and see the latest updates on the outbreak here