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Raw Chicken Products Need Adequate Warnings and Instructions on Labels...

According to the United States Department of Agriculture'ss Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), about 13% of raw broiler chickens contain Salmonella, a dangerous pathogen that causes approximately 2 to 4 million cases of salmonellosis each year in the United States.



Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream. From there, the infection can spread to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are most at risk.



Yet another outbreak of salmonellosis occurred recently in Minnesota. It involved 29 people who became ill after purchasing and consuming frozen chicken entrees at local food stores. These products contain raw chicken that has been coated with pre-browned breading, stuffed with ingredients and marketed as chicken cordon bleu, chicken Kiev or similar products.



Product directions indicate that microwaving these single-portion products is acceptable. The product packaging does not indicate the chicken is raw, and many people assume it is pre-cooked, especially given the browned exterior of the raw product.



Microwaving raw, frozen chicken is not safe, especially when people are led to believe that the product is pre-cooked.



's8220;It is imperative that food producers be required to properly label their products,'s8221; commented Fred Pritzker, founding partner of PritzkerRuohonen & Associates, P.A. 's8220;Consumers should be advised that the chicken is raw and must be heated to a suitable internal temperature before consumption.'s8221;



Many salmonellosis outbreaks have occurred (and continue to occur) involving these products. 's8220;Our federal and state authorities must take prompt action to prevent these outbreaks from occurring by requiring suitable warnings and instructions on the food products that threaten our health,'s8221; continued Fred Pritzker.



Fred Pritzker is president and founder of PritzkerRuohonen & Associates, P.A., a leading food safety law firm that represents food poisoning victims nationwide. PritzkerRuohonen successfully represented several E. coli 0157:H7 victims in the 2000 outbreak involving hamburger purchased at Minnesota Cub Food Stores and is lead counsel for victims of the 2002 Northeast United States listeriosis outbreak that killed 12 people and injured more than 50 others. The firm has collected millions of dollars on behalf of victims of salmonellosis and other foodborne illnesses. PritzkerRuohonen has offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To contact PritzkerRuohonen call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900. For valuable information on Salmonella and other foodborne illnesses, please see http://www.pritzkerlaw.com/food-litigation/.

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