Cargill Initiates a Precautionary, Voluntary and Limited Ground Turkey Recall Based on One Confirmed USDA Test Sample at Arkansas Facility

WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As a precautionary measure, Cargill Value Added Meats Retail, a business unit of Wichita-based Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, today announced an immediate Class I voluntary recall of approximately 185,000 pounds of 85-percent-lean fresh ground turkey products produced at the company's Springdale, Ark., facility on Aug. 23, 24, 30 and 31, 2011, due to possible contamination from Salmonella Heidelberg.  Cargill is initiating this recall as a result of one confirmed test sample taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during a post-August 3 recall review of the processing facility, which yielded low levels of the same Salmonella Heidelberg strain that appears to match the strain previously associated with human illness.

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Cargill has voluntarily suspended production of ground turkey products at its Springdale, Ark., turkey processing facility until additional corrective actions, incremental to those implemented as the result of the August 3 recall, can be identified by the company and reviewed and approved by USDA.  Other turkey products produced at Springdale are not part of the recall.  Cargill owns four turkey processing facilities in the U.S. and no products from the other three are involved in the recall.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are acting quickly in response to USDA's sample testing," said Steve Willardsen, president of Cargill's turkey processing business.  "Although there are no known illnesses associated with this positive sample, it is the same Salmonella Heidelberg strain that resulted in our voluntary recall on Aug. 3, 2011.  As a result of this latest USDA test result, we have suspended ground turkey production at our Arkansas facility until additional measures can be identified, approved by USDA, then implemented, which is similar to the process we previously employed when working with the agency."

"We go to great lengths to ensure the food we produce is safe each serving, every time, which makes the identification and reduction of naturally and randomly occurring bacteria so challenging and often frustrating.  Our resolve to determine how best to reduce human health risks from these bacteria remains unwavering," concluded Willardsen.

Salmonella is a common bacteria with approximately 2,400 different strains, the vast majority not harmful to humans.  Salmonella is commonly found in plants, animals, water, soil and humans.  "We all need to remember bacteria is everywhere, and we must properly handle and prepare fresh foods wherever they are served," explained Willardsen.  "USDA food safety guidelines for safely handling and preparing food can be found on the USDA Internet website (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Safe_Food_Handling_Fact_Sheets/index.asp)

and serve as helpful food safety reminders."        

Cargill is contacting its customers to make certain they know which of their ground turkey products are affected by this recall.  Consumers are urged to return any opened or unopened packages of ground turkey items listed on Cargill's ground turkey recall website (www.cargill.com/turkey-recall) to stores where they were purchased for a full refund.  A complete list of the products involved in the recall is attached.  Cargill is working closely with its U.S. customers to make certain as much of the product is retrieved as possible.  Consumers with questions about recalled ground turkey products may contact Cargill's consumer relations toll free telephone number (1-888-812-1646).

For food safety inquiries, consumers may contact the USDA's "Ask Karen" virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov (http://www.askkaren.gov/).  The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.  Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.     

About Cargill

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services.  Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 130,000 people in 63 countries.  Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business.  For more information, visit www.cargill.com.

Recalled Cargill Ground Turkey Products
September 11, 2011

The products involved are Ground Turkey. All packages include Est. P-963 on the label. Products are listed below:

Fresh Ground Turkey Chubs

• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh HEB Ground Turkey 85/15 (53858)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/12/2011, 09/13/2011, 09/19/2011 and 09/20/2011
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey (55046)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/19/2011, 09/20/2011 and 09/21/2011

Fresh Ground Turkey Trays

• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey (50328)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/10/2011 and 09/12/2011
• 48.0 oz. (3 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15 (53150)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/17/2011, 09/18/2011 and 09/19/2011
• 48.0 oz. (3 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey Family Pack (53525)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/11/2011, 09/12/2011, 09/13/2011, 09/15/2011, 09/17/2011 and 09/18/2011
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey (55093)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/11/2011

Fresh Ground Turkey Patties

• 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey Patties (50920)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/18/2011
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Seasoned Turkey Patties Fresh 85/15 (53147)
• Use or Freeze by Dates of 09/17/2011

Products were distributed nationally through retail outlets.

SOURCE Cargill