The FDA has released a statement on September 17 informing that a salmonella outbreak has been detected in 25 states, and the investigation continues as the food source is yet unknown. There has been no recall because the food origin needs to be identified, there have been 127 illnesses related to the outbreak, and 18 people needed hospitalization.
States where salmonella cases have been detected
According to the map released by the FDA, there have been 30 to 45 cases detected in Texas, 10 to 20 in Minnesota, and less than 9 cases in other states such as Kansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Wisconsin, and others.
Most common salmonella symptoms
The FDA has listed a series of symptoms people infected with salmonella might experience. The most common might be stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, dehydration, dizziness, and fatigue. Some severe symptoms are bloody diarrhea, excessive vomiting episodes, and fever higher than 102°F.
What is salmonella, and how to avoid it?
This bacteria was discovered in 1885, and the illness is called salmonellosis. Those who get the infection might start experiencing symptoms as early as six hours, but it might take up to six days for signs to appear. There have been cases where people only started experiencing symptoms after several weeks.
If we want to avoid bacterial infection, it is essential to have good hygiene, and that food and utensils are appropriately manipulated. The FDA recommends that we wash our hands before cooking, clean utensils, and disinfect the surfaces. Fruits and veggies need to be washed, and raw meat must be kept separately from other ingredients.
It is recommended to cook our food at high temperatures and for enough time to make sure all germs are killed, and that thaw food is kept refrigerated. Once the source of the current outbreak is identified, the product or source might get pulled out from the supermarkets.
