Officials from the North Carolina Department of Public Health have confirmed that an unopened bag of starter culture that was added to Smiling Hara tempeh tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B.
The FDA is tracing the origin of the culture to try to identify the source of the contamination. The culture may have been sent to other food facilities around the country.
As of May 10, 2012, there are 58 cases of Salmonella Paratyphi B in Buncombe County. The North Carolina Department of Public Health says there are 63 cases total in this outbreak, including cases outside of Buncombe County and in other states.
To make tempeh, the starter is used to create a mushroom-like growth on beans. The shared kitchen used by Smiling Hara and several other companies was shut down after the tempeh tested positive for the bacteria. That kitchen, Blue Ridge Ventures, reopened Wednesday after private testing found no contamination in the facility.
Buncombe County health authorities say that the illness is now being spread person-to-person, or by cross-contamination, through infected feces. Proper hand-washing and kitchen hygiene practices are critical to stop this outbreak. Always disinfect utensils after use, and wash hands for at least 20 seconds using hot water and soap before, during, and after meal preparation.
Tempeh is considered a raw product. The tempeh linked to this outbreak was unpasteurized. This product should always be refrigerated at temperatures less than 40 degrees F. For safety, tempeh should be cooked before consuming.
