American food company ConAgra is advising consumers not to eat Banquet Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies until further notice after being contacted by health officials about a possible link to Salmonella outbreaks affecting nearly 140 people in 30 US states since the start of this year. The products affected are frozen chicken or turkey pot pie products bearing the Banquet brand plus generic store brand not-ready-to-eat pot pie products that have the number “P-9” printed on the side of the package.

The food company believes the Salmonella outbreaks are most likely due to consumers undercooking the products. They said they are cooperating with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to find the cause of the outbreaks and to take any steps to stop this happening again. One possibility is that the cooking instructions on the packaging are not clear enough, for instance with respect to cooking times for consumers using microwaves of different wattages.

In the meantime consumers should throw the product away, but keep the packaging if they want a refund. To get a refund, consumers should take the whole package back to the store where they bought the goods, or they can cut out and send the side panel that bears the “P-9” code to: ConAgra Foods, Dept. BQPP, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103-0768.

The company said it would like to remind consumers that these products are not ready to eat and should be cooked thoroughly first according to the instructions on the label. For instance if you use a microwave, make sure you know the wattage because cooking times are different for different wattages.

The company said it is already working to make the microwave cooking instructions on the products clearer. Salmonella is killed by cooking food thoroughly.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and public health officials in several states are investigating an outbreak of a particular strain of Salmonella in 139 humans in 30 states across the US. No deaths have been reported and the ages of the people infected range from under 1 year to over 80.

The cases occurred between 1st January and 9th October 2007. The particular bacterial strain involved is Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- (pronounced “four five twelve eye minus”) and the genetic fingerprint of the bacteria in all cases is identical.

By comparing the foods eaten by people who have been infected with those who have not, health officials found a significant statistical link between the cases and consumption of Banquet brand pot pies produced by the ConAgra Foods company.

The states affected are:

  • Arizona (1 person),
  • California (5),
  • Connecticut (3),
  • Delaware (5),
  • Georgia (2),
  • Idaho (2),
  • Illinois (3),
  • Indiana (3),
  • Kansas (2),
  • Kentucky (7),
  • Massachusetts (5),
  • Maryland (5),
  • Maine (1),
  • Minnesota (5),
  • Missouri (11),
  • Montana (4),
  • Nevada (6),
  • New York (6),
  • Ohio (6),
  • Oklahoma (1),
  • Oregon (2),
  • Pennsylvania (13),
  • Tennessee (5),
  • Texas (4),
  • Utah (2),
  • Virginia (6),
  • Vermont (2),
  • Washington (1),
  • Wisconsin (19), and
  • Wyoming (2).

According to the CDC, most people infected with Salmonella will have symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pains 12 to 72 hours after ingesting the bacteria. The illness, which is called salmonellosis, lasts between 4 and 7 days and most people recover without treatment. However in some rare cases the infection can become severe. Small babies, the elderly and people whose immune systems are weak are the most vulnerable. The bacteria can spread from the intestines to other parts of the body and patients can die in these cases if not promptly treated with antibiotics.

Click here for more information about Salmonella and this outbreak (CDC).

Written by: Catharine Paddock