Chicken entrees may include raw meat
Mon, Sep. 25, 2006
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Some frozen chicken entrees, such as Chicken Kiev and Chicken Cordon Bleu, have been linked to salmonella poisoning in consumers who thought they were microwaving pre-cooked meat. In fact, the entrees contained raw meat and the microwave did not sufficiently cook them.
At least 48 people have been stricken with salmonella poisoning over the past 19 months when they ate undercooked frozen chicken entrees that were microwaved, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The labels sometimes indicated "ready-to-cook" when referring to a raw product. Testing also found that some microwave cooking times were inadequate for safe preparation. New warning labels will appear before November, ordered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, two manufacturers have changed their labels to suggest only conventional-oven preparation.
The USDA encourages the use of meat thermometers for safe cooking; raw chicken entrees should be tested in several spots, all of which should be at least 165 degrees to assure thorough cooking.
