The holiday season is a popular time for cooking and baking as families gather to enjoy each other's company and celebrate the holidays in Tennessee. This year, some of those celebrations may be marred by illness caused by food borne bacteria resulting from dangerous products. Ground turkey is believed to be the culprit.

Jennie-O Turkey has issued a recall of about 164,000 pounds of ground meat due to possible salmonella contamination. The recall accompanied a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that reported new outbreaks of the salmonella poisoning. There were 52 new cases added to the previously reported 216 cases. Of those, 84 have been hospitalized, and one person has died.

The CDC continues to investigate the outbreak that began in November. The people who became ill reported coming into contact with raw turkey or chicken products prior to getting sick. The CDC reportedly found salmonella in samples of raw processed turkeys and live turkeys. The recalled turkey meat came from the Jennie-O plant in Faribault, Minnesota, and was produced between October 22 and October 23. The packages have the number P-579 stamped on them, and these should be disposed of or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food poisoning is a very unpleasant and possibly dangerous illness in Tennessee that can be brought on by eating dangerous products. It can be particularly dangerous to the elderly or very young. Symptoms can include stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and fever. Severe diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration and may require hospitalization. One may not be thinking of legal steps to be taken, but in severe cases, a civil suit against the party deemed responsible can assist with medical costs.