[Updated on November 1, 2021 with new information on watermelon link and previous outbreaks]
A Salmonella outbreak at Great Moon Buffet in West St. Paul, MN sickened at least 17 people who ate at the restaurant in June and July, the Minnesota Department of Health told Food Poisoning Bulletin. Three people were hospitalized.
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Watermelon Contaminated With Salmonella From Raw Meat is Suspected Link
This is the Third Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Great Moon Buffet in the Past Four Years
The illnesses were reported among customers who purchased meals at the restaurant from June 26 to June 28 and on various dates in July. Health officials have identified contaminated watermelon as the likely food source that lead to the salmonella infections. Minnesota Department of Health records also indicate that this is the third Salmonella outbreak linked to the Great Moon Buffet, with previous outbreaks in 2018 and 2019.
Of the 17 illnesses reported in this outbreak, 13 are lab-confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis and four are illnesses reported from customers who ate food they had purchased from the restaurant but weren’t tested. “Restaurants are the most common setting of food poisoning outbreaks,” said Fred Pritzker, a noted food safety attorney who has represented many clients in Salmonella lawsuits against restaurants, food processors, and grocery store chains.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody. These symptoms usually develop six to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and last about a week. In some cases, people with Salmonella infections develop long-term complications including irritable bowel syndrome, reactive arthritis, and high blood pressure.
In Minnesota, about 800 cases of Salmonella are reported each year. Salmonella Enteritidis is the serotype most commonly identified with these illnesses.
Salmonella Lawyers with Experience
If you or a family member developed a Salmonella infection after eating at the Great Moon Buffet, please contact the Pritzker Hageman Salmonella Legal Team for a free consultation. We have represented clients in every major Salmonella outbreak in the U.S. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. There is no obligation and you pay us nothing at all unless we win compensation for you.