In January 2014 over 30 patrons of Maple Grove MN’s Old Country Buffet fell ill with salmonellosis. Following the illnesses, health authorities investigated the pathogen source and according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal are pointing to contaminated dinner rolls as the most probable food. Rolls are a non-traditional foodborne illness source – but a massive norovirus outbreak was linked to Japanese bread earlier this year.
The rolls were likely cross-contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis from raw chicken used in the restaurant (or maybe an asymptomatic food handler or pooled eggs? that’s what MDH found in their investigation -ben ), Minnesota Department of Health spokesman Doug Schultz said.
“Most outbreaks are preventable: They occur] because a food worker came in ill, or because of cross-contamination. … It’s just a question of what steps should have been taken,” Schultz said. “Contamination doesn’t just happen.”
South Carolina-based parent company Ovation Brands (formerly Eagan-based Buffets Inc.) could not be reached for comment. After the outbreak became known the company said it retrained the entire Maple Grove staff and stepped up food safety inspections.
A final report will be issued as soon as next week.