Five deaths have been linked to an outbreak of salmonella in the UK. Over 480 people are believed to have fallen ill after eating contaminated chicken, which is thought to have been imported from Poland. Three frozen chicken products sold in UK supermarkets have now been withdrawn from shelves.
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Salmonella outbreak investigation
A spokesperson told The Guardian that investigations into the source of the outbreak are ongoing. They said:
While some batches of these poultry products share some common food operators in the food chain, more than one supplier has been identified and multiple farm level producers have also been identified. Investigations are ongoing in Poland to identify which farm-level sources have led to the outbreaks.
Chief Operating Officer of the FSA, Colin Sullivan said:
Our advice is to always take care when storing, handling and cooking these types of frozen breaded chicken products to help reduce the risk of food poisoning to you and your family. You should always check the cooking instructions on food packaging, as different brands of the same product might have different instructions. Cooking food at the right temperature and for the correct length of time will ensure that any harmful bacteria are killed.
Which products have been recalled?
SFC have recalled their SFC Chicken Poppets (pack size 190g, batch codes L13720, L15520, L25820) and Take Home Boneless Bucket (pack size 650g, batch code L19720) products. These are sold in Sainsbury’s and Ocado. Vestey Foods have also recalled their Chick Inn 32 Jumbo Chicken Nuggets (pack size 650g, Batch Code 31453058), which were sold at Heron Foods, B&M and B&M Express.
If you have bought any of the affected products you are advised not to consume them. Instead, you can return them to your nearest store for a full refund. You do not need to have the receipt. If you are unable to get into store, you can take a photo of the product packaging (making sure the batch code is visible) and request an email refund via customerservices@sfcwholesale.co.uk (SFC products only).
