A Salmonella outbreak at a Jewel store in Tinley Park, IL has sickened at least nine people, according to the local news reports. The store, located at 171st St, and Harlem Ave., closed its deli for a deep cleaning on Wednesday and and reopened later that day.
Store employees are being asked to submit stool samples so health authorities can determine how the bacteria made its way into the deli area. Salmonella bacteria lives in the intestines of humans and other animals. Food poisoning from Salmonella happens when people ingest food that is contaminated with microscopic amounts of fecal matter. Meat and poultry are sometimes contaminated with Salmonella during slaughter. Other times food is contaminated by someone who did not wash hands carefully after using the restroom and had contact with food.
Commercial food establishments such as restaurants, delis, bakeries and catering facilities are associated with about 45 percent of Salmonella outbreaks. Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea that is sometimes bloody. If you ate some food from the Jewel deli and have developed these symptoms, see a doctor and mention your possible exposure.
