Salmonella Outbreak Linked to a Chain Coffee Store Sandwich

Case Overview

This case study delves into an incident involving three individuals who fell ill after consuming a sandwich from a well-known coffee chain. The symptoms included severe vomiting and diarrhea, prompting all three to seek emergency medical attention. One individual's condition escalated to colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), necessitating multiple surgeries and resulting in chronic diarrhea.

The allegation is that the sandwich was contaminated with salmonella. An expert in food handling and safety was engaged to review the case details and determine if the sandwich could indeed have been the source of the salmonella infection.

Questions to the Food Safety expert and their responses

Please describe your experience and background in food handling and safety.

I am an Associate Professor of Practice in Food Safety and Food Engineering at a prominent university where I've been teaching undergraduate and graduate-level classes since 2008.

My areas of expertise include food microbiology, food safety, food engineering, food quality, and hygienic design. I have extensive knowledge of USDA-FSIS and FDA regulations for safe food production. I'm familiar with various food matrices and processes including beef, pork, poultry, and ready-to-eat meats.

Briefly, what factors would you consider to determine whether the sandwich was the source of salmonella?

To ascertain if the sandwich was indeed the source of salmonella, several factors need to be considered. Firstly, it's crucial to identify how and where the sandwich or its ingredients originated, were assembled, or produced. Secondly, it's important to know whether the plant that produced the sandwich was inspected by FSIS.

Additionally, records pertaining to raw materials received, Certificate of Analysis (COA), production, sanitation, SSOPs should be reviewed for any possible deviations or violations. Lastly, reviewing medical records to verify if tests were conducted to confirm the microorganism causing the foodborne illness and if the symptoms align with those expected from the pathogen is also essential.

Have you ever reviewed a similar case? If yes, please elaborate.

Yes, I have reviewed several similar cases involving products and investigation of potential vehicles and foods that were likely the source of illness affecting multiple people.

These cases required thorough examination of production processes, sanitation protocols, and regulatory compliance to identify any lapses that could have led to contamination.

About the expert

This expert boasts extensive experience in food science and safety, holding a BS in Food Engineering and both an MS and PhD in Food Science. They hold multiple certifications including Preventive Controls Qualified Individual and Food Protection Manager, underlining their comprehensive knowledge of food safety protocols. Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at a university in Texas, they have authored over 40 publications and are active members of several professional societies, including the American Meat Science Association and the American Society for Microbiology.