High-risk salmonella
was found
more often
on the chicken parts at this
Premier Custom Foods plant
than
at other poultry plants.
16.7%
of 24 samples had high-risk salmonella
How Likely Am I To Get Sick?
Your likelihood of getting sick depends on many factors, including: how the poultry is cooked and handled; your immune system; and the quantity and types of salmonella present. “High-risk” salmonella strains are more likely to cause illness than “low-risk” types. According to the CDC, if you avoid cross-contamination and cook the poultry to 165°F, the meat should be safe to eat even if it had high-risk salmonella. Learn more about safe handling and cooking techniques from the CDC.
Help ProPublica track the poultry supply chain. Tell us where you shopped.
Did This Plant Meet The USDA Standard For Chicken Parts?
This plant
met the USDA standard for chicken parts
with a salmonella rate below agency-defined thresholds.
In total,
16.7%
of the chicken parts samples had salmonella of any type.
Plants can still meet USDA standards even if they have rates of high-risk salmonella that are above the industry median because the standards focus on all salmonella rather than the types most likely to make people sick.
Routine Testing Results
The USDA tested 24 chicken parts samples from this plant over the past year.
One in eight
samples had a strain of salmonella resistant to antibiotics commonly used to treat infections.
The plant processed
an estimated 100,000 to 1 million pounds of meat and poultry
in total each month.
High-risk salmonella, not antibiotic-resistant: 1
Low-risk salmonella, not antibiotic-resistant: 0
No salmonella found: 20
High-risk, antibiotic-resistant: 3
Low-risk, antibiotic-resistant: 0
No chicken parts tested: 341
High-risk salmonella, not antibiotic-resistant: 1
Low-risk salmonella, not antibiotic-resistant: 0
High-risk, antibiotic-resistant: 3
Low-risk, antibiotic-resistant: 0
No salmonella found: 20
No chicken parts tested: 341
March/April 2021
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan 2022
Feb
March
Multiple samples were taken on days marked with an *
Types of Salmonella Found
There are more than 2,500 types of salmonella, but fewer than 100 account for most human infections. Below are the types of salmonella found in this plant’s chicken parts. The USDA does not measure the quantity of salmonella in each poultry sample, only whether or not salmonella is present.
The reported number of cases below are from the 10 states that participate in the CDC’s surveillance program and include cases linked to consumption of all foods, including poultry. These numbers are known undercounts— the CDC estimates that almost 30 cases of salmonella illness go unreported for every case that is confirmed by a lab.
Heidelberg
is a high-risk type of salmonella that was found in
one
of the plant’s
chicken parts samples.
From 2011 to 2020, Heidelberg caused at least 1,255 salmonella infections in the U.S. Of those,
455 (36%)
people were hospitalized and six
(0.5%) people died.
I4,[5],12:i:-
is a high-risk type of salmonella that was found in
one
of the plant’s
chicken parts samples.
From 2011 to 2020, I4,[5],12:i:- caused at least 3,882 salmonella infections in the U.S. Of those,
1,113 (29%)
people were hospitalized and 19
(0.5%) people died.
Infantis
is a high-risk type of salmonella that was found in
one
of the plant’s
chicken parts samples.
From 2011 to 2020, Infantis caused at least 1,852 salmonella infections in the U.S. Of those,
479 (26%)
people were hospitalized and five
(0.3%) people died.
Typhimurium
is a high-risk type of salmonella that was found in
one
of the plant’s
chicken parts samples.
From 2011 to 2020, Typhimurium caused at least 7,785 salmonella infections in the U.S. Of those,
2,360 (30%)
people were hospitalized and 52
(0.7%) people died.
X
There are more than 2,500 types of salmonella. “High-risk” types more commonly cause people to get sick, according to the CDC. “Low-risk” types are rarely linked to illness in the United States.