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      CHICAGO - Cargill Inc. announced a second recall of ground
turkey products Sunday after a test showed salmonella in a sample
from the same Arkansas plant tied to a recall issued last month.


      The second recall is much smaller than the one the company
issued Aug. 3 for 36 million pounds of ground turkey. That recall
followed a salmonella outbreak that federal health officials said
had sickened 107 people in 31 states, killing one person.


      No illnesses have been tied to the second recall, which was
initiated after a sample from the company's plant in Springdale,
Ark., tested positive for salmonella, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture said.


      Cargill halted production of ground turkey products at the plant
Aug. 2 in anticipation of the recall announced the next day,
spokesman Mike Martin said. Equipment was taken apart and
steam-cleaned. Limited production resumed Aug. 10 after the USDA
approved additional anti-bacterial safety measures, Martin said.


      The sample that tested positive for salmonella was taken Aug.
24, the USDA said. It was the same strain of salmonella tied to the
earlier illnesses, the agency said.


      Martin said Cargill added two additional anti-bacterial washes
to its processing process in Springdale after the first recall and
instituted what he called "the most advanced sampling and
monitoring system in the poultry industry."


      The problem, he said is that salmonella is "ubiquitous" and
can come from soil, water, poultry feed and any number of sources.
The challenge for Cargill and other food processors is to try to
identify and eliminate the sources, reduce the amount during
processing and then test for it.


      "Food safety is a top priority and taken extremely seriously at
Cargill because we know that millions of people throughout the U.S.
are eating food that we produce every day and we want to do
everything we can to make sure that people are getting the safest
food possible," Martin said.


      Ground turkey production at the Springdale plant has been
suspended again while the Minnesota-based company looks at what
other safety procedures might be needed, he said. Production of
other products, such as whole turkeys, continues, he said.


      USDA officials did not immediately respond Sunday to messages
requesting comment.


      The second recall covers about 185,000 pounds of ground turkey
products, including trays of ground meat, patties and chubs, the
USDA said. The products were distributed nationwide under the
Kroger, Fresh HEB and Cargill's Honeysuckle White brands.


      All ground turkey made at the Springdale plant has "P-963" or
"963" on the package, in a USDA seal or perhaps on the
cellophane, Martin said. Consumers who bought products bearing that
identification number can call 1-888-812-1646 for instructions on
what to do, he said.


      The recall covers products made Aug. 23 and 24. Cargill also is
recalling ground turkey made on Aug. 30 and 31 pending a positive
match with a sample, the USDA said.


      The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 50
million Americans get sick each year from food poisoning, including
about 3,000 who die. Salmonella causes most of these illnesses.


      Government officials say even contaminated ground turkey is safe
to eat if cooked to 165 degrees. But it's also important that raw
meat be handled properly before it's cooked and that people wash
their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after
handling it. Turkey and other meats should also be properly
refrigerated or frozen and leftovers heated.


      The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal
cramps and fever within eight hours to 72 hours of eating a
contaminated product. It can be life-threatening to some with
weakened immune systems.

Gallery

Cargill Inc. announced a second recall of ground
turkey products Sunday after a test showed salmonella in a sample from the same Arkansas plant tied to a recall issued last month.

More Cargill ground turkey recalled because of salmonella

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