USDA Urges Consumers to Cook Frozen Chicken

The Department of Agriculture is urging consumers to cook frozen chicken dinners thoroughly. The agency said 32 people in 12 states have been sickened by Salmonella. The USDA warning deals with frozen dinners in which chicken is raw.

The USDA on Friday is urging consumers to follow cooking instructions for frozen stuffed chicken entrees. The agency said that 32 people in 12 states got Salmonella poisoning after using microwaves to prepare the meals.

While the package instructions identified the product as uncooked, people who were sick did not follow the instructions and used microwaves.

Some of the entrees appear to be cooked because they were breaded or pre-browned. These chicken products are raw stuffed and labeled "chicken cordon bleu" or "chicken Kiev," as well as chicken breasts stuffed with cheese or vegetables.

Salmonella can be life-threatening for infants or the elderly and other people with weakened immune systems. The common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight to 72 hours. However, people could also experience chills, headache, nausea and vomiting for up to a week.