OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods Inc. voluntarily stopped production Tuesday at the Missouri plant that makes its Banquet pot pies after health officials said chicken and turkey pies may be linked to 139 cases of salmonella in 30 states, including one Snohomish County case.
ConAgra officials believe the company’s pies are safe if they’re cooked properly, but the Omaha-based company told consumers Tuesday not to eat its turkey and chicken pot pies until the government and company investigations are complete.
Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a health alert Tuesday afternoon to warn consumers about the link between the company’s product and the salmonella cases.
Three Washington salmonella cases that may be linked to the pot pies were reported in Snohomish, Spokane and Yakima counties, according to the state Department of Health’s Food Safety Program. The three patients have recovered, it said Tuesday.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking reports of the salmonella cases since last week. A CDC spokeswoman said the largest numbers of salmonella cases had been reported in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri.
Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the United States and kills about 600. It can cause diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting. Most cases of salmonella poisoning are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken.
ConAgra is offering consumers refunds, but no recall of pot pies was being planned Tuesday.
Company spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said ConAgra is confident in the safety of its chicken and turkey pot pies when all the cooking instructions on the package are followed. It is especially important to follow the directions when the pies are cooked in a microwave.
Pot pies need to be cooked longer in microwaves that have less power, Childs said. A good sign that the pot pie is done is when steam rises out of it.
Childs said the cooking will kill any common pathogens routinely found in uncooked products that contain poultry.
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