Several state health departments have told ConAgra Foods that its Banquet pot pies may be linked to cases of salmonella, but the company says its products are safe if they're cooked properly. There have been no cases in Hawai'i. NATI HARNIK | Associated Press

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a federal health alert today advising consumers that the product has been associated with an outbreak of salmonella in approximately 30 states. At this time, the state health department has no reports of salmonella cases in Hawai'i associated with this product.

Both the Food Safety and Inspection Service of USDA and ConAgra, the manufacturer of the pot pies, believe the problem is related to the undercooking of the product by the consumer.

Salmonella typically causes diarrhea (may be bloody); the diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal cramps and fever. Symptoms typically begin within one to four days after exposure to the bacteria. In infants, persons with poor underlying health and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.