Chicken marsala tainted with C. perfringens was the likely source of a food poisoning outbreak that sickened 216 people who attended the April Food Safety Summit in Baltimore, Maryland health officials have concluded. C. perfringens is a common source of food poisoning, sickening an estimated 1 million Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Outbreaks often happen at schools, banquet centers and catered events.
More than half of those who were sickened developed symptoms, which include diarrhea and abdominal cramps, within 16 hours of of exposure. For most of them, illness lasted about 28 hours, which is typical for C. perfringens poisoning.
The CDC has recently compiles tips on preventing illness from the bacteria. Temperature control is key especially in foods commonly associated with C. perfringens outbreaks including beef, poultry and gravies. These foods should be cooked to recommended temperatures and served immediately. If they can’t be served right away they should be kept a temperature warmer than 140°F (60°C) or cooler than 41°F (5°C) to prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers should be refrigerated at 40°F or below within two hours of preparation.
Words fail me on this one. Kind of boggles the mind, doesn’t it.