Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Raw Turkey Sickens 164 People, Claims Life Of One

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, health officials are warning people about contracting food poisoning from consuming improperly cooked turkey. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella linked to raw turkey products, which has just claimed the life of a person in California.

The World's Biggest Food Poisoning Scares

As of November 5, 164 people in 35 states have contracted Salmonella poisoning, 63 have been hospitalized and one person has died since the outbreak was originally reported in July. Investigators report that there are a variety of raw turkey products that are making people sick, but a common supplier has not been identified. The outbreak strain was found in raw turkey pet food, raw turkey products and live turkeys, so investigators think it might be a widespread problem in the turkey industry.

The CDC is not asking that people stop consuming properly cooked turkey or that retailers stop selling raw turkey products. The organization is asking that everyone take the proper steps to avoid infection. Always wash your hands, cook meat thoroughly to kill harmful germs and wash everything the raw turkey touched — the counter, the cutting board, utensils — so nothing toxic spreads. These are just some of the many ways you can avoid food poisoning.