Cargill initiated the recall after learning that the US Centers for Disease Control had detected an outbreak of salmonella-related illnesses.
Steve Willardsen, president of Cargill’s Wichita-based turkey processing business, said: “We are leaving no stone unturned. While we have already taken significant steps to enhance our food safety programme at our Springdale, Arkansas, turkey processing facility.
“Those measures have been approved by USDA and we believe a panel of independent experts will be able to help us assess and validate the measures we’ve put in place, while also providing us with valued external perspectives and recommendations for additional steps we could take. We have asked the panel to look at the entire process from live animal operations through ground turkey production.”
The panel includes:
Since the recall, Cargill has made several enhancements to its food safety programme. These include two additional antibacterial washes, intensifying an existing antibacterial system, disassembling and steam cleaning equipment before resuming ground turkey production and requiring suppliers of turkey meat to add a new antibacterial wash.
Source: Cargill
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