A Salmonella outbreak has been reported in 26 states caused by raw turkey products supplied from local stores. It is a nationwide outbreak announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after proper investigation. More than ninety people have been hospitalized by this bacterial infection outbreak from 26 states and one case from Hawaii. However, the health officials in Hawaii have closed the case because they couldn’t find any relevance or exposure related to the bacterial outbreak.
Looking at the growing number of cases across the 26 states, the health officials are advising people to continue healthy eating habits and keep the raw food safe and hygienic before cooking it. Peter Oshiro who is an environmental health program manager for food safety said that the Hawaiians love eating and enjoying special gatherings with raw food specialties and potlucks that has made the population of Hawaii susceptible to foodborne illnesses. The health officials are working with the federal and private industry partners to find out information regarding any outbreaks in the future.
The department of health officials recommended some essential healthy tips to follow when it comes to food handling and they include making sure that the cooks hired by people are in good health without any symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea. It is important to keep the food preparing surface clean with properly washed utensils, chopping boards, and countertops, etc. Washing the fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water is important to remove all kinds of impurities that stick on the outer layers and could cause serious health problems if ignored.
One needs to separate the raw meat poultry, seafood, and eggs while storing to prevent cross-contamination. It is important to note that when the weather is not suited and an outbreak is around the corner, cook food at right temperatures especially chicken and turkey along with other poultry items. Keep the perishable food items in deep freeze within two hours of purchasing to stop any bacterial growth on it.
