Foster Farms has issued a recall in the wake of a major, multi-state salmonella outbreak.
Salmonella Outbreak
Foster Farms has agreed to recall chicken marked with "use or freeze by" dates March 16–March 31, 2014, and frozen Sunland Chicken products with "best by" dates March 7–March 11, 2015.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) connected the outbreak to Foster Farms after a child fell ill with Salmonella Heidelberg in May. On the evening of July 3, the USDA'S Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) issued a recall of Foster products possibly contaminated with salmonella.
Some officials don't think that a recall is enough, and are demanding that the plants be closed down for negligence.
Ongoing Concern
The actual outbreak could be much worse than one reported illness.
LA Weekly reported in May that 574 cases of illness had been reported after consuming Foster Farms chicken. On July 4, the CDC updated the number of affected people to 621 across 29 states and Puerto Rico.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., have criticized the USDA's slow response, and are calling upon Congress to close Foster Farms' facilities.
FSIS defended its decision to not issue a recall earlier, stating this was the first definitive link to Foster Farms and Salmonella Heidelberg.
For a complete list of recalled Foster Farms products, see the USDA's list here.