The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:HighUSDA FSIS·pha-072016·Announced 2016-07-20

USDA Issues Public Health Alert for Kapowsin Meats Whole Hog Roasters

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for Kapowsin Meats whole hog roasters due to a possible link with a Salmonella outbreak in Washington.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Public Health Alert

Public Health Alert is a warning FSIS issues when there is a food-safety concern but a recall is not requested, typically because the affected product is no longer available for purchase.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a high-risk pathogen (Salmonella) with confirmed illness cases, fitting the rubric for high-risk pathogens without reported fatalities or hospitalizations.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on July 20, 2016, regarding whole hog roasters prepared for barbeque from Kapowsin Meats. This action was taken due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- that may be associated with the consumption of these products. FSIS determined a possible link between the roaster hogs and an illness cluster after working with the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The alert follows an investigation into a Salmonella outbreak in Washington, where three case-patients were identified with illness onset dates ranging from July 5, 2016, to July 7, 2016. Traceback investigations indicated that these three individuals consumed whole hog roasters for barbeque from Kapowsin Meats. The investigation is ongoing, and FSIS is working with the company to identify specific products to be removed from commerce. It is not yet known if the outbreak strain has any drug resistance.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, which typically results in diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after exposure. While most people recover without treatment, the illness can be severe for older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems. FSIS advises consumers to safely prepare raw meat products and to cook pork and whole hogs for barbeque to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F with a three-minute rest time, using a food thermometer to confirm the temperature.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Pork Product Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination
Category
Food — Raw Pork
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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