Food Poisoning Investigation: Illness blamed on turkey at New Mexico buffet

An outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness followed a buffet served to approximately 855 people at a New Mexico country club. Of the 162 persons interviewed, 67 (41%) were ill with diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Twenty-four required emergency medical treatment or hospitalization. Three food items...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental health 1990-03, Vol.52 (5), p.295-297
Main Authors: Eidson, Millicent, McLauchlin, J.T., Gutierrez, Pauline, Nims, Linda, Graves, Garth N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Buffets
Cooking
Disease outbreaks
Diseases
Environmental health
FEATURES
Foodborne illnesses
Gravies
Room temperature
Staphylococcus
Toxins
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Summary:An outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness followed a buffet served to approximately 855 people at a New Mexico country club. Of the 162 persons interviewed, 67 (41%) were ill with diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Twenty-four required emergency medical treatment or hospitalization. Three food items (turkey, poultry dressing and gravy) were significantly associated with illness. Review of food handling procedures indicated that the turkey had cooled for three hours at room temperature after cooking — a time and temperature sufficient for bacterial proliferation and toxin production.
ISSN:0022-0892