The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned people who bought deli chicken salad at any of the six Fareway Foods grocery stores in southern Minnesota or surrounding states to throw out the product or return it to the store.

The agency said the chicken salad could be contaminated with salmonella. Concerns were raised after people who bought and ate the product in Illinois became ill.

The chicken salad was produced between Dec. 15 and Feb. 13 and sold in plastic deli containers under the Fareway Chicken Salad label. It was shipped to all Fareway stores in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.

In Minnesota, there are Fareway stores in Rochester, Stewartville, Fairmont, Worthington, Faribault and Owatonna.

Salmonella is one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Symptoms can include diarrhea, cramping and fever within 12 to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.

Most people recover without treatment. Older adults, infants and people with weakened immune systems may develop a severe illness.