The US Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention said the antibiotic-resistant Heidelberg strain of salmonella was responsible for the outbreak.
Steve Willardsen, president of Cargill’s turkey wing, said in a statement that it was “regrettable” that so many people had fallen ill as a result of its products. “For anyone who did, we are truly sorry,” he said.
Some of products containing the contaminated turkey mince were marketed under the Honeysuckle White brand. Mince produced at Cargill’s Arkansas plant since late February has been recalled.
Salmonella is present in 10-15 per cent of ground turkey products, according to US data, more than three-quarters of which are antibiotic-resistant strains.