Minnesota Chipotle outbreak: Tomatoes Id’d as source of Salmonella

In a follow-up to the salmonella outbreak in multiple Chipotle restaurants in the Twin Cities Metro area in Minnesota, The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) have identified tomatoes as the source of the Salmonella Newport outbreak.

Since the outbreak was reported last week, additional illnesses have been confirmed by MDH.  A total of 64 cases and 22 locations now have been linked to the outbreak. Nine people have been hospitalized; all are recovering. Meal dates for the cases range from August 16 to August 28 and people became ill between August 19 and September 3.

“We expected to see additional cases because it can take up to 10 days for symptoms of Salmonella to appear, another few days to a week before people go to their doctors and the cases get reported to us,” said MDH Epidemiologist Dana Eikmeier. “However, there is no longer a risk of Salmonella from this particular product at Chipotle.”  The company has switched suppliers for its tomatoes and implicated product was removed from stores.

People who are sick with Salmonella usually experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps about 12 to 72 hours after they eat something contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Most people are sick for 4 to 7 days and can get better without treatment.

People who are at high risk for Salmonella infection include: infants, elderly, immunocompromised, including persons on immunosuppressive therapies or medications, and pregnant women.  People can decrease their risk of Salmonella infection through proper food handling and preparation and by practicing proper hand washing and hygiene practices.

Robert Herriman is a microbiologist and the Editor-in-Chief of Outbreak News Today and the Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch

Follow @bactiman63

Related: Simi Valley Chipotle Employees Test Positive For Norovirus

The locations involved in the outbreak to date are: