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The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for approximately 211,406 pounds of raw ground turkey products produced by Plainville Brands, LLC, a Pennsylvania establishment, due to concerns the products may have caused Salmonella Hadar illness.

A recall was not requested because it is believed that the products are no longer available for consumers to purchase, stated a press release from FSIS.

FSIS stated it is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Retail locations that may receive returned product from consumers should destroy this product immediately.

The raw ground turkey products were produced on December 18, 2020 through December 29, 2020. The following products are subject to the public health alert:

• 1-lb. packages of Nature’s Promise Free from 94% LEAN | 6% FAT Ground Turkey with Use by/freeze/sell by date of 1/1/21, 1/3/21,1/4/21, 1/8/21 and 1/10/21 on the front of the package.
• 1-lb. packages of Wegman 94% LEAN | 6% FAT Ground Turkey with Use by/freeze/sell by date of 1/3/21, 1/4/21, 1/8/21 and 1/10/21 on the front of the package.
• 3-lb. packages of Wegman 94% LEAN | 6% FAT Ground Turkey with Use by/freeze/sell by date of 1/3/21, 1/4/21, 1/8/21 and 1/10/21 on the front of the package.
• 1-lb. packages of Plainville Farms Ground White Turkey 93% | 7% Fat with Use by/freeze/sell by date of 1/10/21 on the front of the package.

The products bear establishment number EST. P-244 inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

FSIS and its public health partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health and regulatory officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of 28 Salmonella Hadar illnesses in 12 states with onset dates ranging from December 28, 2020 through March 4, 2021. The traceback investigation for one case indicated the patient consumed ground turkey produced by Plainville Brands, LLC. An intact, unopened package of Plainville Brands’ ground turkey collected from this case-patient’s home tested positive for Salmonella Hadar and was closely related genetically to the sample from the patient.

Evidence collected to date does not link all illnesses to this establishment. Based on the continuing investigation, additional product from other establishments may be involved. FSIS continues to work with CDC and state and local public health partners on this investigation and will provide updated information as it becomes available, stated the release.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Most people recover without treatment. In some, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume raw ground turkey that has been cooked to a temperature of 165°F. The only way to confirm the poultry item is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers with questions about the public health alert can contact Yusef Robb at 323-384-1789 or by email at yusef@tkCommunicationsLLC.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

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