Salmonella and Chicken
CDC estimates that Salmonella is responsible for
more food-borne illnesses in the United States than any other bacteria.
Chicken is a major source of these illnesses. In the United States,
consumption of chicken has increased markedly over the past several
decades. Based on past public health intervention, we know that it is
possible to reduce Salmonella contamination of chicken and the resulting
illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
The recent decline of Salmonella Typhimurium
infections in the United States might be partly related to the
widespread vaccination of chickens against this serotype. In 1993, Great
Britain launched a program to vaccinate chickens against both
Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium and to improve hygiene
measures. The following year, human infections of Salmonella
Enteritidis associated with chicken consumption dropped dramatically
there, and from 1997 to 2011, incidence of Salmonella Enteritidis
infections among humans decreased 99%. Some investigators think
targeting other serotypes through poultry vaccination could reduce human
illnesses.
CDC is planning to work with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, state health
officials, consumer groups, and industry on a multi-pronged approach to
prevent illnesses, involving each step of the food production chain from
farm to fork (production, processing, distribution, and preparation).
What You Need to Know
- Salmonella are bacteria that can make you sick.
-
Salmonella can be found in a variety of foods, including chicken, beef,
pork, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and even processed foods.
- Some people are more likely to get an infection and serious illness.
- You can take steps to prevent infection, such as following the clean, separate, cook, and chill guidelines.
Food that is contaminated with Salmonella or other
harmful germs usually looks, tastes, and smells normal. That's why it's
important to know how to prevent infection.
Salmonella cause far more illnesses than you might
suspect. For every case of Salmonella illness confirmed by laboratory
tests, almost 30 other cases are not reported. That's because most
people with symptoms of food-borne illness do not go to the doctor or
submit a sample to a laboratory, so we never learn what germ made them
sick. CDC estimates that Salmonella cause more than 1 million food-borne
illnesses in the United States every year.
What Can Cause Salmonella Infection?
You can get a Salmonella infection from a variety
of foods, including chicken, turkey, beef, pork, eggs, fruits, sprouts,
other vegetables, and even processed foods, such as nut butters, frozen
pot pies, chicken nuggets, and stuffed chicken entrees. Some recent
Salmonella outbreaks that sickened people in many states were linked to
chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, raw tuna, mushrooms, onions,
peaches, papayas, cut fruits, cashew brie, and tahini.
Food isn't the only way Salmonella spread to
people. The bacteria also spread through contaminated water, the
environment, other people, and animals. Even pets and animals you might
come into contact with at petting zoos, farms, fairs, and schools and day-cares can carry Salmonella and other harmful germs. Get tips to help
you stay safe around feathery, furry, and scaly friends.
Who Is More Likely to Get a Salmonella Infection?
Certain people are more likely to get a serious
Salmonella infection. These people include children who are younger than
5, adults who are 65 and older, and people whose immune systems are
weakened from certain medical conditions (such as diabetes, liver or
kidney disease, and cancer) or their treatments.
Salmonella Symptoms
Salmonella illness can be serious. Symptoms
usually start 6 hours to 6 days after infection. They include diarrhea
that can be bloody, fever, and stomach cramps. Most people recover
within 4 to 7 days without antibiotic treatment. But some people with
severe diarrhea may need to be hospitalized or take antibiotics.
Call the doctor if you have:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees F
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- Bloody stools
- Prolonged vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Making very little urine
- Dry mouth and throat
- Dizziness when standing up
CDC estimates that Salmonella causes more
food-borne illnesses than any other bacteria. Chicken is a major source
of these illnesses. In fact, about 1 in every 25 packages of chicken at
the grocery store are contaminated with Salmonella.
You can get sick from contaminated chicken if it's
not cooked thoroughly. You can also get sick if its juices leak in the
refrigerator or get on kitchen surfaces and then get on something you
eat raw, such as salad.
It is possible to reduce Salmonella contamination
of chicken and the resulting illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
CDC is working with USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, state
health officials, consumer groups, and industry to help prevent
illnesses from chicken by better controlling germs at each step of the
food production chain, from the farm to the fork.
Learn about measures that have been shown to reduce Salmonella contamination of chicken.
Four Steps to Help Prevent Salmonella Infection From Food
Follow the Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill
guidelines to help keep you and your family safe from Salmonella
infection and other kinds of food poisoning.
Clean
- Wash hands with soap
and clean, running water for 20 seconds before and after handling food,
especially after touching raw or under cooked eggs, meats, poultry (like
chicken and turkey), seafood, or their juices.
- Wash utensils,
cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water,
especially after they've touched raw or under cooked eggs, meats,
poultry, seafood, or their juices.
- Don't wash raw eggs, meats,
poultry, or seafood before cooking. Washing can spread germs to other
foods, utensils, and surfaces.
- Sanitize kitchen surfaces with a
freshly made solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine
bleach in one gallon of water.
Separate
- Keep raw meat,
poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods in your grocery
cart and in your refrigerator. Keep eggs in the original carton and
store them in the main part of the refrigerator, not in the door.
- Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods, such as salads and deli meat.
- Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce and for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
- Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw or under cooked eggs, meats, poultry, seafood, or their juices.
Cook
Use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature:
145 degrees F for beef, pork, ham, veal, and lamb (let the meat rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
145 degrees F for fish with fins (or cook until flesh is opaque)
160 degrees F for ground beef, ground pork, ground veal, and ground lamb
160 degrees F for egg dishes
165 degrees F for poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), including ground chicken and ground turkey
165 degrees F for casseroles
Microwave food to 165 degrees F or above
Cook eggs properly. Do not eat raw eggs or eggs that have runny whites or yolks.
Chill
Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or colder.
Never
leave perishable foods out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. If
the food is exposed to temperatures above 90 degrees F (like a hot car
or summer picnic), refrigerate or freeze it within 1 hour.
Read other food safety features to learn more about protecting yourself and your loved ones from food poisoning.
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