Salmonella alert for ground turkey

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert after some 77 cases of Salmonella were reported in 26 states associated with ground turkey.

Officials at the Food Safety and Inspection Service say the illnesses were linked through an epidemiologic investigation, state health department analyses and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigation.

The FSIS says to prevent Salmonellosis:

-- Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry.

-- Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water. Clean up spills right away.

-- Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked.

-- Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

-- Cook raw meat and poultry to safe internal temperatures before eating. The safe internal temperature for meat such as ground beef and pork is 160 degrees F, and 165 degrees F for poultry, as determined with a food thermometer.

-- Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase, or one hour if temperatures exceed 90 degrees F.

-- Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.