Watch out for these food-related illnesses recalled at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is America's favorite holiday because it's a time when family, friends, neighbors and strangers gather to share their favorite dishes. Before you prepare your favorite dishes, take a moment to review the food recalls and disease outbreaks identified by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Romaine lettuce

Just two days before Thanksgiving, the CDC warned US consumers not to eat romaine lettuce because it could be contaminated with E. coli.

Thirty-two people, including 13 who were hospitalized, were infected with the outbreak strain in 11 states, according to the CDC. One of the hospitalized patients developed a haemolytic uremic syndrome, a form of kidney failure that can be fatal. No deaths have been reported.

People became ill in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified 18 other people who have become ill with the same strain of E. Coli in Ontario and Quebec.

The US Food and Drug Administration, which also investigates the outbreak, warns that if you have romaine lettuce at home, you should discard it even if you have eaten it and you are not get sick.

As no distributor or source has been identified, the FDA recommends that consumers avoid all types and brands of romaine lettuce. Consumers should not eat any products made from romaine lettuce or "whole roman heads, romaine hearts, bags or boxes of pre-cut lettuce and salad mixes containing romaine, such as a spring mix and a Caesar salad.

Retailers and restaurants should not use or sell them until the epidemic is better known.

The diseases of the current outbreak began in October and are unrelated to another multi-state outbreak related to romaine lettuce this summer.

Turkey products

The Food Inspection and Safety Service of the US Department of Agriculture has recalled turkey products related to a salmonella outbreak. The CDC announced the outbreak of raw turkey products in July, but more and more people became ill, bringing the total to at least 164 in 35 states. One person in California died and 63 people were hospitalized.

Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales LLC recalled 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey after the USDA found that a sample of these products had a positive Salmonella test result corresponding to the epidemic strain. The samples came from a September 11 production and, according to the USDA, the rest of the products were shipped nationwide.

The outbreak began in November 2017. The origin of the turkey at the center of the epidemic is unclear, as there does not appear to be a single centralized distributor, the agency said. This could mean that "this could be prevalent in the turkey industry".

Laboratory tests show that Salmonella comes from a variety of products, including ground turkey and turkey patties. Tests have shown that it is also present in live turkeys and pet food.

The CDC said that if you plan to handle raw turkey, be very careful: wash your hands after touching it. Cook the products thoroughly to avoid getting sick. Thaw the turkeys in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

Raw chicken

In another ongoing survey, 92 people were infected with infant salmonella in 29 states, linked to raw chicken products from different sources, according to the CDC. No deaths have been reported, although 21 people have been hospitalized, reports the public health agency. The USDA continues to monitor this outbreak.

People who have become ill report eating different types and brands of chicken products purchased in many places. The CDC has identified Salmonella in samples from raw chicken products, live chickens and raw pet food. As the strain is present in live chickens as well as in many types of raw chicken products, this indicates that contamination could be widespread in the chicken industry, according to the CDC.

However, the CDC does not advise consumers to avoid eating properly cooked chicken or retailers to stop selling raw chicken products.

The agency recommends instead to handle the raw chicken carefully and cook thoroughly to avoid food poisoning. Wash your hands before and after preparation or meal and sanitize your kitchen and preparation area. Chicken breasts, whole chickens and chopped poultry, including hamburgers and chicken sausages, should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to eliminate harmful germs. The remains must also be warmed to this temperature.

Ground beef

Do not eat, serve or sell any recalled beef products that have been recalled by JBS Tolleson Inc. of Tolleson, Arizona, as they may be contaminated with salmonella, advises the CDC. As of Thursday, 246 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of salmonella newport in 25 states, the CDC reported. No deaths were reported, but 59 people were hospitalized.

Check your freezer for recalled beef, the CDC recommends. The company recalled 6.9 million pounds of beef products in early October, all produced and packaged between July 26 and September 7. They have been shipped to more than 100 retailers across the country under many brands and under the EST establishment number. 267 "can be found inside the USDA inspection mark (but can be found elsewhere on the package), according to the CDC. The list of retailers where these products were sold can be found on the USDA website.

Cook ground beef thoroughly, recommends the CDC, and handle beef products safely to prevent foodborne illness. Never eat raw ground beef or undercooked beef. To kill germs, it must reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The CDC advises washing hands and anything that comes into contact with raw beef, including worktops, utensils, crockery and cutting boards, with soap and water.

Duncan Hines cake mix

A reminder was issued for four types of Duncan Hines cake mixes due to possible salmonella contamination, the US Food and Drug Administration announced on Nov. 5.

The recall was issued by Conagra Brands because of "the positive presence of Salmonella in a retail Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix sample, which may be related to a Salmonella outbreak currently under review by CDC and FDA. ", said Conagra in a statement. .

The DNA fingerprint found in this cake mix sample corresponds to the DNA fingerprint identified by the CDC in five cases of salmonella disease, according to the FDA.

Diseases have been reported in Maryland, Ohio and Wisconsin, the CDC announced Wednesday.

Several of the sick people told health investigators that they had eaten a mix of cakes before their symptoms started, according to Conagra.

"Two sick people reported eating cake in the week before the onset of their illness and another said they ate raw cake mix, but the brand information was not available" , according to the CDC, who adds that he "is working with the state's health departments and the FDA to determine if these sick people ate a cake or a raw cake mix produced by Duncan Hines."

Who is at risk and what are the symptoms of a foodborne illness?

People of all ages are at risk of becoming ill because of foodborne illness. However, with regard to salmonella infections, children are the most likely to get sick, according to the FDA. Children under 5, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with chronic conditions, are more likely to develop serious illness, but even children and adults with good health can fall seriously ill.

The symptoms of salmonella disease usually begin between 12 and 72 hours after consuming something altered by the body and last for about four to seven days. They include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people recover without treatment. In some patients, diarrhea can be so severe that hospitalization and antibiotic treatment are necessary to prevent the disease from spreading from the gut to blood and other parts of the body.

Symptoms of E. coli infection, which usually starts about three to four days after the bacteria is consumed, may include watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, depending on CDC. Most people infected with the bacteria will improve after five to seven days, although this particular strain of E. Coli tends to cause a more serious illness.