'Ready-To-Eat' Chicken Recalled For Possibly Being Undercooked

A San Diego-based company has recalled 1,115 pounds of its "ready-to-eat" chicken breast because of possible undercooking.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Tarantino Wholesale Foods Distributor has recalled the 10-pound cases of "Mary's Fully Cooked Chicken Breast" that may be undercooked. According to the agency, pathogens can survive in undercooked meats.

"These items were shipped to institution locations in California and were sold directly to retail consumers," the FSIS said in a news release, noting that the affected products had the establishment number "P-8119" in the USDA inspection mark, the lot code 20297 and a use-by date of 10/23/21.

According to the FSIS, the problem was discovered after a customer complained that the ready-to-eat product appeared to be undercooked.

The FSIS noted it has a "high" health risk and classified it as a "Class I" recall. Under the USDA's recall classifications, a Class I recall suggests a "reasonable probability" that "serious, adverse health consequences or death" may result from using a certain product.

So far, there are no reports of illnesses or adverse reactions related to the recalled product. Customers should either dispose of the product or return it to the place of purchase.

Anyone who has questions regarding the recall can contact the company's quality assurance supervisor at marcos.tarantino@tarantinosausage.com.

Health risks of eating raw chicken

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chicken is the most consumed type of meat in the U.S. While this can be a healthier choice compared to other meats, consuming undercooked or raw chicken poses high risks of getting infected with pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter bacteria and Clostridium perfringens bacteria.

The CDC estimated that about a million people get sick from eating contaminated poultry each year. Even other food items that may have been contaminated with raw chicken juices can cause food poisoning.

While anyone can get food poisoning, the ones most at risk for developing a serious illness from food poisoning are children below 5 years old, older adults over 65 years old, pregnant women and those who have weakened immune systems.

It is important to call a healthcare provider when the patient develops symptoms including a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit, bloody stool, diarrhea for over three days without improvements, prolonged vomiting and dehydration.

To prevent such illnesses, people should also practice food safety measures including proper hand washing before and after handling raw chicken, using a separate cutting board for raw chicken, properly washing utensils used to prepare raw chicken and cooking chicken at a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the agency noted.