Salmonella outbreaks have occurred from a variety of foods including poultry, meats, eggs, milk products, fruit juice, tomatoes, fish, shrimp, frog legs, yeast, coconut, sauces, salad dressing, cake mixes, breakfast cereal, cream-filled desserts, toppings, dried gelatin, peanut butter, cocoa, chocolate, and dried spices.
The incidence of Salmonella is much higher in raw agricultural products (e.g., raw eggs or uncooked poultry or meat) than in cooked or processed food products. However, Salmonella can occur in other foods as a result of cross-contamination with raw foods or from contamination from humans, animals, birds, or reptiles. Further, due to the microorganism’s ability to survive in a wide range of environments, Salmonella has been found in dry and dehydrated foods (e.g., cocoa, chocolate, dry milk, spices, and cereal products) and in acid food products (e.g., non-pasteurized orange juice). Thus, preventative measures are extremely important at all food handling and processing steps.
