DHEC Finds New Information In Salmonella Investigation

The Department of Health and Environmental Control says lab tests have found a “close association” between a salmonella outbreak and boiled peanuts bought at an upstate festival.  Last week, DHEC says more than a dozen people suffered salmonella type symptoms, many of whom said they attended the Pumpkintown Pumpkin festival in mid-October.

Adam Myrick with DHEC says lab analysis found the same type of salmonella in six patients.  It’s a rare form called Salmonella-Thompson.  Myrick says that same type of salmonella was also found in boiled peanuts taken from the refrigerator of one of the patients.  He says that patient told DHEC the peanuts were bought at the Pumpkin Festival, “We’ve done lab analysis on the DNA fingerprint of the salmonella found in the patients and the salmonella found in the nuts.  The DNA fingerprint of these two match up.”  Myrick adds in most cases of food bourne illness, there’s never 100% certainty on what caused people to get sick.  Myrick says the festival organizers and the boiled peanut vendor have fully cooperated with the investigation, and that the vender has been given food safety tips from DHEC.

While the boiling process kills most forms of bacteria, including salmonella, Myrick says that prepared foods can become contaminated after the cooking process during cooling, packaging, handling and distribution.  Myrick couldn’t say how the contamination happened in this case.