Tyson recalls chicken after seven Tennessee residents fall ill

Although it’s been days since Tyson Foods recalled nearly 34,000 pounds of mechanically separated chicken, some residents here in Tennessee might still be concerned about product safety. This is to be expected considering the fact that seven people at a state correctional facility fell ill with food poisoning after eating salmonella-contaminated chicken.

While The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the dangerous product had not been sold in retail stores but rather had been shipped nationwide for institutional use, this does not mean that there is no reason for concern. Although most people recover from salmonella poisoning without treatment, some people may not be as fortunate. As in this case, two people required hospitalization due to the food-borne illness and while reports do not indicate whether they were prisoners or facility workers, either way those affected might consider legal representation and seek compensation to cover medical costs.

As many residents here in Tennessee know, this isn’t the first time in recent months that a consumable has been recalled because of a food-borne illness. Many attribute these recalls to manufacturers failing to enforce proper food-safety regulations and failing to test products before accidents such as this occur. And as readers of our blog know, some of these recalls can even result in product liability lawsuits down the road.

Although Tyson’s recall might save face at the moment, this does not negate their liability in the situation. As a result, those who were affected by the harmful product might want to hold the company accountable for its negligence.

Source: ABC News, “Tyson Foods Recalls 33K Pounds of Chicken Product,” The Associated Press, Jan. 13, 2014