US: Five-state Salmonella outbreak linked to chicken livers

A New York food processor has recalled broiled chicken liver products that have been linked to at least 169 Salmonella Heidelberg infections in five states, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and state health departments.

The recall applies to an undetermined amount of broiled chicken livers produced by Schreiber Processing Corp., based in Maspeth, NY, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) confirmed in a statement.

It said the products appear to be ready to eat but are partially cooked and need to be fully cooked before eaten. It said illnesses have also been linked to chopped liver made from the product and sold at retail stores.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDHMH) said that it has identified 56 Salmonella infections in the city linked to the company’s MealMart brand kosher broiled chicken livers. It said illnesses have also been identified in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Minnesota. In addition, 33 more cases have been identified in the state outside New York City.

The FSIS said testing by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets identified the outbreak strain in samples of the company’s broiled chicken livers and in samples of chopped liver made from the same products.

The FSIS said the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg does not match the one linked to a recall earlier this year involving ground turkey. It’s not known yet if the outbreak strain has any drug resistance. The FSIS said it would issue a notification if it finds any evidence of drug resistance.

Source: CIDRAP