How to prevent salmonella this Thanksgiving

At least one person had died as a result of a salmonella outbreak in Jennie-O ground turkey has caused more than 160 people in 35 states to get sick.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that typically comes from raw poultry such as chicken or turkey. Health experts say one way to prevent yourself from getting it is keeping other foods separate from the raw meat and disinfecting surfaces.

“Pretty common knowledge for a lot of people, but sometimes we forget,” said Mike Taylor, surveillance epidemiologist for Eastern Idaho Public Health. “So just make sure, you know, this holiday season if you’re preparing turkey don’t cross contaminate with other foods, be careful with your utensils and always wash your hands after handling raw meat.”

Eastern Idaho Public Health says salmonella issues can often come from cooking stuffing inside the turkey.

“A lot of people like to stuff the inside of turkeys and that’s the portion where we’re really concerned with the temperature,” Taylor said. “Make sure your turkey is cooked all the way through. And we recommend using a thermometer with your turkey. And it should be cooked to 165 degrees all the way through the center of the turkey.”

They say it is important to go see a doctor if you think you have been infected.

“After, you know, just a couple days you could start with a fever, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,” Taylor said. “And we recommend that you call your physician. You can go in and get tested. And there are antibiotics that they can prescribe for certain infections like salmonella.”

Health agencies have not determined where the outbreak started.