Salmonella Food Poisoning Symptoms & Treatment

A popular restaurant in Durham, NC seems to be the site where several illnesses have originated from in recent days.  Bullock’s Barbecue is where several people ate food before later developing symptoms of food poisoning.  This well-known restaurant is the common thread between 15 people who became ill after eating at the restaurant.  County inspectors suspect Salmonella food poisoning may be to blame, but are waiting for their suspicions to be confirmed through lab work.

Investigations have been performed related to proper disposal and clean-up of potentially affected food items and equipment used to prepare foods, but thus far it has not been determined any particular food source responsible for the outbreak.  Durham County Health Director Gayle Harris stated that they have visited the restaurant and looked the production process over from beginning to end, and have no problem with the way the restaurant operates.  The kitchen area was where health inspectors began their investigation.

Harris also said that they would be talking with employees of the restaurant in order to determine if any of those who work at Bullock’s have been sick.  Health officials say that Tommy Bullock, owner of the restaurant, has been fully cooperative with officials in trying to determine how the pathogen may have spread.

Long-time devoted customers such as Merle Minor have a hard time believing that Bullock’s could have been the source of food poisoning.  Minor stated that he believes it is a fallacy that anyone says they got food poisoning at the restaurant, and that he doesn’t believe it happened there.

Harris said that samples of food and other items being tested will hopefully shed light on the source of the outbreak.  These samples are being tested in the state lab.  While loyal customers continue to vouch for the quality and reputation of the restaurant, Bullock says he fears the reports of illness will tarnish the reputation of Bullock’s.

Individuals who develop symptoms of gastroenteritis should see their doctor to make certain the illness is nothing serious or life-threatening.  Symptoms of salmonella food poisoning include nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and vomiting.  These symptoms are mild and last only a few days in most individuals, but those at higher salmonella injury risk could develop serious complications.  Elderly people, young children and those with compromised immune systems should seek medical attention if these symptoms develop.

If you are in need of a Salmonella food poisoning attorney, consider contacting the experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorneys in New York at Brown Chiari!

One of the largest food recalls in U.S. history could be imminent in the next few weeks, as it’s becoming apparent that thousands of products may contain an additive linked to salmonella food poisoning contamination.  HVP, or hydrolyzed vegetable protein, has been found to contain salmonella bacteria in one lot of the flavor enhancer produced by Basic Food Flavors.  It has also been detected inside the company’s Nevada manufacturing facility according to the FDA.

It’s very difficult for federal officials to determine the true scope of the problem, because this contamination is believed to date back as far as September of 2009.  This means that millions of pounds of HVP that could be potentially contaminated was shipped to various food manufacturers over five months before the company recalled the food enhancer.

According to officials, the health threat facing the public is relatively low due to the fact that most products containing HVP are cooked during processing or are to be cooked by the consumer before eating.  The highest danger lies in ready-to-eat products such as snack foods and chips.

FDA officials have notified foodmakers that it is not necessary to recall their products if they can provide documentation proving that the foods containing HVP were heated appropriately.

Don Schaffner, a professor of microbiology and food-safety expert at Rutgers University, said that officials are trying to determine how to go about protecting public health without being so over-cautious that tons of products that may be perfectly safe are not thrown out unnecessarily.

Officials at the FDA are still trying to determine what caused the contamination originally, and declined to comment recently on when the Nevada plant was last inspected or if they have a history of problems concerning sanitation.

The contaminated HVP affects a huge variety of foods including frozen dinners, salad dressings, chips, soups, hot dogs and thousands of other processed foods.

Salmonella food poisoning is generally mild in most individuals, but can pose serious health complications in those most at risk, including young children, the elderly and people with a compromised immune system.  If you believe you have consumed foods tainted with salmonella and are showing salmonella symptoms, contact your doctor at once to see if you need treatment.

If you find yourself in need of a food poisoning attorney, consider contacting Brown Chiari.   Brown Chiari is a personal injury law firm in New York with over 20 years of experience in the legal field.