The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued an alert on Foster Farms' raw chicken products over concerns that they are linked to illness caused by strains of Salmonella Heidelberg.
The implicated products were produced at the company's three facilities in California and feature one of the establishment numbers inside a USDA mark of inspection or on the package - 'P6137,' 'P6137A,' and 'P7632.'
The alert comes after the recent reports of about 278 illnesses in 18 states with majority from California. FSIS said that the outbreak is continuing.
Investigations revealed that consumption of Foster Farms brand chicken and other brand chicken produced at Foster Farms facilities were likely the source of this outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has partnered with state health departments to monitor the outbreak.
FSIS noted that it is continuing its investigation and is ready to take additional actions or expand the investigation based on new evidence.
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella could cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness, which can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems such as infants, elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.
