Salmonella illnesses linked to ground turkey

Fresh or frozen ground turkey products contaminated with salmonella may have recently sickened at least 77 people in 26 states, according to an alert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a number of state health departments are now working on isolating the source. Those infected may experience diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms include chills, headache, nausea and vomiting. In the alert, the USDA reminded consumers to follow package cooking instructions, including allowing all parts of the meat to reach 165 degrees. The USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline is 1-888-674-6854, or go to AskKaren.gov .