A Costco store in South San Francisco has recalled nearly 40,000 pounds of rotisserie chicken and chicken products that may have been contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg in connection with the Foster Farms salmonella outbreak, according to the Los Angeles Times.
It was reported that at least one person was sickened by eating a cooked rotisserie chicken from the store, which prompted the recall over the weekend.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the products recalled included 8,730 "Kirkland Signature Foster Farms" rotisserie chickens and 313 total units of "Kirkland Farm" rotisseries chicken soup, rotisserie chicken leg quarters and rotisserie chicken salad. The products were reportedly sold between Sept. 11 and Sept. 23 from the store at 1600 El Camino Real.
USDA and Foster Farms have assured consumers that poultry contaminated with salmonella is safe to eat so long as it is cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Costco rotisserie chicken is cooked to at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit, said Craig Wilson, Costco's vice president for food safety.
"It was well-cooked," Wilson said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "It may have been a very, very uncommon cross-contamination issue. We're still researching."
The Times reported the company has contacted 7,807 customers who had bought one or more of the recalled products and no one else has reportedly fallen ill.
The chain is reportedly currently carrying new batches of Foster Farms chicken. The outbreak has sickened 317 people across 18 states since March. Health officials are urging consumers to cook chicken thoroughly and take other precautions.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection. Those infected develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain for 12 to 72 hours; the infection often lasts 4 to 7 days according to the U.S. Center Disease Control and Prevention.
