As YWN has been reporting, salmonella linked to Empire Kosher Products has been blamed for the death of 1 person in New York and 17 people sickened in multiple states: New York (11), Pennsylvania (4), Maryland (1) and Virginia (1) as of Monday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Eight patients have been hospitalized.
Several patients who were sickened reported having eaten Empire Kosher-brand chicken, the CDC said.
In response, Empire Kosher has released the following statement:
“We are shocked and saddened to have just learned there may have been a death potentially related to a Salmonella outbreak and we extend our sympathies to anyone affected. While we have no data that connects this tragic event to our products, we have been cooperating fully with the United States Department of Agriculture – Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as they investigate a multistate Salmonella outbreak. We take food safety and the health of our consumers very seriously and any illness, even potentially linked to our products, is unacceptable. We continue to very aggressively work to ensure the quality and safety of our products.
CDC is not advising that people avoid eating kosher chicken or Empire® Kosher brand chicken and no products are being recalled.
Empire® Kosher, along with the USDA and CDC, want to remind consumers of safe handling practices for raw chicken.
When handled and cooked properly to 165°F, consumers can continue to have full confidence in chicken products, including the Empire® Kosher brand.
If you live in these areas identified and have any questions please call 1-877-627-2803 to speak with an Empire® Kosher Consumer Specialist.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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4 Responses
It would be very helpful to know which alleged Empire products are suspected; it can’t be the entire line.
PETA is now after Empire??? They brought down Agri and Rubashkin: is Empire their next step?
It would be very helpful to know what information this allegation is based upon, connecting these incidents with Empire products.
All raw poultry should be assumed to harbor salmonella and other dangerous pathogens. It should be cooked to 165 degrees without fail. Knives and cutting boards segregated and scrupulously cleaned.
Chickens have feathers which inevitably get contaminated with feces. Kosher production does have one advantage in cold-water plucking, where hundreds of birds aren’t immersed in the same warm water. Beef and lamb are skinned early on, and their digestive tracts more easily segregated from the meat.