Safety Advisory For Frozen Raw Breaded Poultry Products

Chicken nuggets, chicken burgers and strips may look like they’re pre-cooked, many frozen breaded poultry products are actually raw and need to be handled carefully and cooked thoroughly.

Raw meat and poultry can contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. However, Salmonella and other harmful foodborne bacteria can be completely eliminated by cooking thoroughly.

So far there have been 28 cases in Ontario, 12 cases in Quebec, 2 in Nova Scotia and 2 in Newfoundland and Labrador. Out of these 44 cases, 12 people have been hospitalized, but fortunately no deaths have been reported

Reminder when cooking to:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling raw poultry products.
  
• Use a separate plate, cutting board, and utensils when handling raw poultry products to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
  
• Do not eat raw or undercooked poultry products. Cook all frozen, stuffed, breaded or raw poultry pieces to a minimum internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Whole poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 82°C (180°F).
  
• Always follow the cooking and heating instructions on the package of any frozen raw breaded poultry product, including products labelled with phrases such as Uncooked, Cook and Serve, Ready to Cook, and Oven Ready.
  
• Due to uneven heating, microwave cooking of frozen raw breaded poultry products, including chicken nuggets, strips or burgers, is not recommended.
   

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