Maple Leaf Frozen Chicken Products and Salmonella
Maple Leaf Farms frozen chicken entrees contaminated with Salmonella bacteria continue to sicken people in Minnesota and other states. It appears that microwave instructions on the packages do not allow for enough cooking time to kill Salmonella bacteria. The frozen chicken entrees are raw but look cooked, which exacerbates the problem. Consumers preparing the chicken entrees are led to think they only need to warm them up. 48 people in Minnesota and other states have been stricken by Salmonella poisoning in the past 19 months after eating the frozen chicken entrees.
Minnesota health officials have been aware of a problem for at least 8 years, during which time numerous people have been infected with Salmonella after eating frozen chicken products that had been cooked in a microwave. Earlier last year, Minnesota health officials urged the U.S. Agriculture Department to ban labeling the frozen chicken products as microwaveable. The USDA did not act positively on the request. This current Salmonella outbreak is a result of that inaction. Even now, with at least 48 more victims of Salmonella poisoning linked to frozen chicken products, the USDA has not banned labeling the Maple Leaf products or any frozen chicken products as microwaveable. We call on the USDA to now ban labeling frozen chicken products as microwaveable. The primary concern of the USDA should be the safety of the American people.
For the victims of the current Salmonella outbreak, there has been pain and suffering, loss of income, medical bills and emotional distress. To contact a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation regarding legal rights and remedies, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or e-mail fhp@pritzkerlaw.com. The firm is one of the few in the United States that practices extensively in the area of food poisoning lawsuits and has collected millions for victims of foodborne illness.
Source: David Shaffer, Salmonella cases in state raise alarm, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), September 2, 2006.
