As Thanksgiving approaches, you may want to rethink your dinner plans especially if a turkey is on the menu. Maybe this year a ham would be a better choice for your Thanksgiving dinner.

Back in July, the CDC announced a salmonella outbreak which has become deadly after 1 person in California died and 63 have been hospitalized. The outbreak is linked to a variety of raw turkey products including ground turkey and patties purchased from a variety of sources. A total of 164 people in 35 states including Michigan have become sick in one form or another.

According to WNEM, It's unclear where the turkey at the center of this outbreak came from, as there doesn't appear to be one centralized distributor. This could mean that it might be widespread in the turkey industry.

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't celebrate Thanksgiving by devouring a big fat turkey but you should play it safe when doing the prep work. It's advised that you wash your hands before and after and use warm soapy water to thoroughly clean any surfaces that may have come in contact with the raw meat or poultry juices. I would suggest using Clorox wipes or some type of disinfectant which kills germs and bacteria.

It's a good idea to thaw a turkey in the microwave or in the fridge in cold water, which is changed every 30 minutes. Turkey should not be thawed by leaving it out on the counter. I think most of that is common sense anyway but it's all a good reminder.

Salmonella typically causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramping, within 12 to 72 hours of consuming the infected item.

Source: Detroit Free Press, WNEM and CNN

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