In Canada, Hamilton’s public health department is investigating a Salmonella outbreak they believe is connected to the “Eat a Pita” restaurant on Kenilworth Avenue and Main Street East in Ontario. The restaurant has been closed since February 23, 2012.
A scheduled health inspection on February 1, 2012 found that cooked chicken was not being held at a safe temperature. A follow-up inspection on February 23, 2012 found the same problems. Bacteria grow readily at temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees F; cooked meats must be held at temperatures higher than 140 degrees F. And Salmonella is commonly found in chicken.
Lab results confirmed that four of the cases of illness were connected to the same restaurant. Another 12 cases were announced today.
Salmonella infections can cause serious complications. Symptoms include chills, fever, nausea, headache, diarrhea, and vomiting. If you ate at this restaurant at any time between February 1, 2012 and yesterday and have experienced these symptoms, see your doctor and call the public health office at 1-905-546-2063. In fact, if you ate at Eat a Pita within the above time frame, please call the public health office.
Did the Health department find Salmonella on the premises? I get food to go there 4 or 5 times a week and I eat in once a week. Thank god I’ve never gotten sick am I just lucky ? Y108 said there was a flu going around Hamilton. Vomiting and Diarrhea were symptoms are they connected?
According to the Hamilton Spectator, “Mackie says that one case of salmonella and one case of gastrointestinal illness came to public health’s attention last Friday. Lab results confirmed the two cases were connected to the same facility as two others, leading health officials to declare a salmonella outbreak late Wednesday.”
That means Salmonella is the cause of the illness, and they were connected to the restaurant, which means they must have found Salmonella on the premises.
Not everyone who eats tainted food will get sick. You were lucky, or you have a very strong immune system. Yes, food poisoning has the same symptoms as the flu, but lab tests from stool samples showed Salmonella was the cause of these illnesses. Actually, 1 in 6 people gets food poisoning every year, so every six years, statistically, you’ll get food poisoning. Most cases are mild. It’s the bad ones that cause the news; hospitalizations, kidney failure, paralysis, and death make the news too, since 3000 Americans die from food poisoning every year.
My immune system is far from strong. I have diarrhea virtually every time I eat at Swiss Chalet. I’ve had food poisoning before, it’s not pleasant. I did it to myself and was in pain for 3 weeks. The Spectator is rarely right in anything they report on. I hate to see a local business ruined because of bad press. They are open again and I ate there Tuesday and yesterday. The place was super clean when I went in on Tuesday. I sent someone to pick up my food there yesterday. When the health department investigates I’m sure they don’t call the place up and say they’re coming for an inspection so please clean the place up. So I’m thinking they had to find some salmonella bacteria. I just want it confirmed and not speculated on. Can you get the results? I like to find another eatery is this place is a threat to me but I’m well aware of how falsehoods are generated
Even if a place looks clean, that doesn’t mean the food is safe to eat. Salmonella was found at the restaurant, and matched the Salmonella that was found in stool samples. The problem was chicken held at low temperatures, which provides a prime breeding ground for bacteria.
The Spectator didn’t do the investigation; they just reported the story. The Hamilton department of public health has the evidence. In fact, the health department is investigating itself, since it found the problem three weeks before the outbreak and didn’t close the restaurant at that point.
And I hear you about food poisoning. I’ve had it three times in my life (once from a dentist’s office). I was almost hospitalized for that last one. Considering that more than 150,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 people die from food poisoning every year in the States, we’re not alone. I hope you stay well.