Salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey leaves over 200 sick across U.S.

More than 200 people from across the United States have fallen ill, 84 of them hospitalized, from an ongoing salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey products that prompted a second voluntary recall on Friday, the US government said.

The latest food-safety advisory from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta came as millions of Americans planned their Christmas holiday menus, updating a notice for contaminated turkey issued in early November.

Since then, 52 more people in 26 states and the District of Columbia have become sick from salmonella-tainted turkey, bringing the total number of documented cases to 216 in 38 states and the district. 

One death from the outbreak, which began in October, was reported in California, the CDC said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has reported an additional 22 turkey-related salmonella infections in 4 provinces - British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick - believed to be linked to the US outbreak.

The common strain of salmonella associated with the illnesses has been identified in various raw turkey products, including ground turkey, turkey patties, live turkeys and raw turkey pet food, indicating it may be widespread in the turkey industry.

No single supplier has been identified.

Minnesota-based Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales LLC on Friday voluntarily recalled more than 164,000 pounds of ground turkey products. The company had recalled more than 91,000 pounds in mid-November over the same outbreak.

With the exception of the recalled Jennie-O brand ground turkey, the CDC said it was not advising consumers to avoid eating properly cooked turkey products or for retailers to stop selling raw turkey products.

Anyone can become sick from salmonella bacteria, but young children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of serious illness.

Symptoms, which typically appear 12 to 72 hours after ingesting the bacteria, include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover within a week.

Infection can best be prevented by thoroughly washing hands after handling poultry, by cooking turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and by thawing frozen turkeys in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature, the CDC said. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Banzai goes beyond Japanese for Christmas

MANILA -- Christmas comes to Banzai at the SM Mall of Asia complex, as the country’s biggest Japanese buffet offers its new holiday menu starting on Saturday, December 20.

Aside from its extensive Japanese offerings, which include sushi, sashimi, ramen and noodles, tonkatsu, tempura, yakitori, takoyaki, and even Japanese pizza, the expanded Christmas menu will have other cuisines from the sister restaurants of Banzai in the Sumo Sam group.

Menu additions to their salad section include the Smoked Chicken with Fuji Apple and Walnuts, as well as Marble Potatoes with Crispy Panchetta.

Main courses will include an array of chilled seafood like prawns, mussels and clams; the porchetta, which is their version of the ever popular belly roll with spices of rosemary and fennel; the roast stuffed turkey with bread stuffing and turkey gravy; homemade slow-cooked meatloaf with mushroom gravy; and the Mediterranean favorite, moussaka, layered with eggplant and cheese.

Other Asian influences are also present with roast Peking duck crepe, peach-glazed chicken and honey-glazed pork.

Christmas cheer comes to the dessert table with the green pistachio cheesecake; the cute and festive cherry blossom cake; the matcha and black sesame cake; strawberry green tea mousse; and strawberry butter sponge cake.

Sister restaurants Dekada and Balboa will also be adding to the Banzai spread.

Balboa, which serves Italian food, will be offering four pizzas (all meat, seafood, pesto, four cheese) as well as four sauces (alfredo, aglio olio, truffle mushroom, puttanesca) with twp choices of pasta (penne and spaghettini).

Dekada, meanwhile, will serve Filipino favorites such as sinigang na miso, adobo rice, Bicol express, kare-kare and, for dessert, Filipino misa de gallo favorites bibingka, puto bumbong and palitaw.

OFW promo

In addition, Banzai has a welcome promo for overseas Filipino workers who are home for the holidays.

OFWs, who are accompanied by at least three full paying guests, can eat for free. They just have to show their passport and a valid ID.

 Other promos include the 5+1 promo (one free for a group of six), the birthday promo (birthday celebrants eat for free in a group of four), and the senior promo (an additional 30% discount to their 20% discount).

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com