Minnesota officials have linked some raw, breaded, and pre-browned stuffed chicken entrées to a recent outbreak of salmonella illness.

The State Health Department has identified six cases of the bacterial infection in August and September that have been connected to Antioch Farms brand A La Kiev raw stuffed chicken breast products that were sold at many different grocery store chains. One of the people sickened by the bacteria was hospitalized.

Officials say the implicated a product carries a U.S. Department of Agriculture stamped code of P-1358.

There have been a half dozen outbreaks of salmonella illness in Minnesota linked to these types of products since 1998, but officials note this is the first outbreak to occur since improvements were made to the labeling of the products in 2008 to clearly state that it is raw chicken.

“The problem arises when consumers don’t realize that they are handling and preparing a raw product,” according to Dr. Carrie Rigdon, an investigator for the MDA Dairy and Food Inspection Division.

MDA and MDH officials advised that consumers with these products in their freezers, if they choose to use them, should cook them thoroughly. Other important food handling practices include hand washing before and after handling raw meat, keeping raw and cooked foods separate to avoid cross-contamination, and placing cooked meat on a clean plate or platter before serving. Consumers can find more information about safe food-handling practices on the MDH website at:www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety.

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