The public doesn’t need to know which turkey plants have been found to be contaminated with a deadly strain of Salmonella that has infected people in 35 states, federal officials said yesterday in a strongly worded statement.

Also, organizations such as Consumer Reports and the Center for Science in the Public Interest shouldn’t be asking questions about how the USDA is handling the outbreak investigation, as far as government officials are concerned. 

“… it would be grossly irresponsible and reckless to associate producers with an outbreak investigation, when a link from an establishment to an illness has not been made. It’s also not helpful to consumers,” according to the statement issued Nov. 14 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Trace back investigations are conducted in the field through on the ground work, not Monday morning quarterbacking from the comforts of an urban high rise in New York City or K Street in Washington, D.C., with fundraising pleas attached.”