Plainville Brands Ground Turkey Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

Brands including Plainville Farms, Nature’s Promise, and Wegmans may be contaminated with the bacteria

Trisha Calvo, Consumer Reports Deputy Editor, Health & Food.

By Trisha Calvo
Deputy Editor, Health & Food

April 11, 2021

More than 211,000 pounds of raw ground turkey produced by Plainville Brands may be contaminated with Salmonella hadar, according to a public health alert from the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The turkey may be involved in a salmonella outbreak that has caused 28 illnesses in 12 states. Two people have been hosptialized, but there have been no deaths.

The turkey was packaged under Plainville Farms, Nature’s Promise, and Wegmans brands. The USDA said that it did not request that Plainville recall the turkey because the “use by,” “freeze by,” and “sell by” dates were in early January, so it should no longer be on store shelves. However, some consumers who purchased the products may still have them in their freezers.

A list of stores where the turkey was sold was not immediately available, but the USDA said the products were shipped nationwide. The illnesses occured in: Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia,

Nature’s Promise brand is sold at various stores, including Food Lion, Giant, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop. Wegmans brand is sold in Wegmans stores. The specific products that may be involved in the outbreak are:

1-pound packages of Nature’s Promise 94% lean/6% fat ground turkey with a use-by, freeze-by, or sell-by date of 1/1/21, 1/3/21, 1/4/21, 1/8/21, or 1/10/21.
1-pound and 3-pound packages of Wegmans 94% lean/6% fat ground turkey with a use-by, freeze-by, or sell-by date of 1/3/21, 1/4/21, 1/8/21, or 1/10/21.
1-pound packages of Plainville Farms ground white turkey 93% lean/7% fat with a use-by, freeze-by, or sell-by date of 1/10/21.

The ground turkey products were produced between Dec. 18 and Dec. 29, 2020. They all bear establishment number EST. P-244 inside the USDA mark of inspection on the package.

The USDA says that the salmonella illnesses occurred between Dec. 28, 2020, and March 4, 2021. An intact, unopened package of Plainville Brands’ ground turkey collected from an ill person’s home tested positive for Salmonella hadar, and that strain was closely related to the strain of salmonella that made the individual sick. The USDA says it’s continuing its investigation.

“As a proud provider of natural and certified organic foods, the health and safety of our customers is essential to who we are as a company,” says Tom Donovan, vice president of Plainville Brands. “We are providing any assistance requested by health and safety officials.”

If you purchased ground turkey from these brands between mid-December 2020 and early January 2021 and froze it, do not eat it. The USDA advises that you throw it away or return it to the place where you bought it.

Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps anywhere from 6 hours to six days after exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The illness usually lasts four to seven days and resolves without treatment. However, some people may become so ill that they require hospitalization. Call a doctor if you have a fever higher than 102° F, if diarrhea doesn’t improve in three days, or if you have bloody stools. Dehydration is also possible and should be assessed by a doctor. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth and throat, dizziness when standing, and making very little urine.

The Details

Products involved: Plainville Farms, Nature’s Promise, and Wegmans ground turkey with a use-by, sell-by, or freeze-by date between 1/1/2021 and 1/10/2021.

The problem: The ground turkey may be contaminated with Salmonella hadar.

The fix: If you purchased turkey from these brands mid-December through early January and still have it in your freezer, do not eat it. Instead throw it away or return it to the store where you bought it.

How to contact the manufacturer: Contact Yusef Robb at 323-384-1789 or yusef@tkcommunicationsllc.com.

Editor's Note: This article was updated with a list of the states where the illnesses occurred.

Trisha Calvo

Trisha Calvo has been the deputy editor for health and food at Consumer Reports since 2013, focusing on nutrition and food safety, frequently editing food safety investigations. Previously, she was an executive editor at Rodale Books and the executive editor at Shape magazine. You’ll often find her in her kitchen creating deliciously healthy dishes.