Eleven years later, Salmonella is still the leading cause of food poisoning in America. Growing your own chickens is safe? No. Chicken and eggs can be found in backyard chickens. We have been warned a hundred years ago the time would soon come to not use homegrown eggs and milk because of the increase in the disease in animals.
CDC estimates that Salmonella causes more foodborne illnesses than any other bacteria. Chicken is a major source of these illnesses. In fact, about 1 in every 25 packages of chicken at the grocery store are contaminated with Salmonella.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a salmonella outbreak across 29 states that is linked to backyard poultry, including chicken and ducks. More than 100 salmonella cases have been reported across the U.S. after many people say they’ve come in contact with backyard poultry or purchased poultry from both retail stores and hatcheries.
The CDC has been tracking salmonella cases since February, and as of May 30, 33 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported. The outbreak has reportedly infected individuals in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
At this time, one poultry supplier cannot be identified as the root of the outbreak, so the CDC is urging anyone who comes into contact with backyard poultry to stay vigilant about safety measures.
Backyard Poultry Linked to Salmonella Outbreak Nationwide
Any backyard poultry can carry salmonella germs, according to the CDC, which means you can become infected if you swallow those germs after touching backyard poultry or anything they’ve touched, then touching your mouth or food.
To keep yourself healthy around backyard poultry, the CDC recommends washing your hands after touching the poultry, their eggs, or anything else in the area—and do not kiss or snuggle the animals or eat or drink anything while you’re around them. Additionally, the CDC advises that any supplies, including the shoes you wear inside the poultry coop, should be left outside of your house and properly disinfected.
If you collect the poultry’s eggs, be sure to collect them often and always throw away cracked eggs as germs from the shell can get inside. Before consuming or selling the eggs, clean them with a brush or cloth rather than water, since cold water can let germs into the egg. And, always store eggs in the refrigerator to slow the growth of bacteria.
Cooking the eggs to the proper 160 degrees F temperature is also imperative to kill any germs from the poultry.
For more information on best practices for safely raising or selling backyard poultry, you can visit the CDC’s site.https://www.allrecipes.com/backyard-poultry-salmonella-outbreak-may-2024-8655959
