No charges to be filed against unlicensed caterer, Aggie Jennings, who sickened 180 with Salmonella Montevideo in South Dakota

Brian Gehring of the Bismarck Tribune confirmed today that the South Dakota Health Department says it will not seek charges against a rural Washburn woman for operating an unlicensed catering business linked to sickening 180 people last summer.

Aggie Jennings of rural McLean County catered three events (2 weddings, 1 reunion) in mid-June that led to three separate outbreaks of Salmonella Montevideo. Ms. Jennings' catering operation was not licensed. Salmonella Montevideo is a strain that is associated with baby chickens, and Ms. Jennings raised chickens. The Salmonella strain matched a strain associated with a chicken hatchery in Iowa. At one catered event, consumption of the potato salad was associated with illness, however no food samples tested positive for salmonella. At another event, ground beef that had been served as taco meat was associated with illness and tested positive for the presence of Salmonella Montevideo. At the third event, shredded beef and noodle salad tested positive for Salmonella.

According to a recent State report, the health department issued an order to Jennings to stop catering June 17, three days prior to the McClusky event. The report also found there were four dishes that tested positive for salmonella and all had some type of preparation, storage or handling at Jennings' residence. It said several people assisting in food preparation at her home might have provided a source of cross contamination.

Brian Gehring reported that any formal charges would be brought through the local state's attorney's office, which, in this case, is Sheridan County. McLean County State's Attorney Ladd Erickson said he asked Sheridan County State's Attorney Walter Lipp to handle the case because of a possible conflict of interest. Erickson said he is a neighbor of Jennings' son and while they don't farm together, they do share some equipment at times.

Brian Gehring also reported that the Tribune called Jennings for comment and a message left on an answering machine was not returned. The Tribune has left numerous messages for Jennings since June and she's never responded.

Posted on March 6, 2010 by Salmonella Attorney
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They say Salame, I say Salami, either way it should not have Salmonella Black Pepper

The CDC reports now a total of 245 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo have been reported from 44 states and District of Columbia since July 1, 2009. The number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AK (2), AL (2), AZ (7), CA (30), CO (5), CT (5), DC (1), DE (3), FL (3), GA (3), IA (1), ID (4), IL (19), IN (4), KS (5), LA (1), MA (14), MD (1), ME (1), MI (4), MN (6), MO (2), MS (1), NC (11), ND (1), NE (3), NH (2), NJ (9), NM (2), NY (18), OH (9), OK (1), OR (9), PA (7), RI (2), SC (1), SD (3), TN (5), TX (7), UT (9), VA (1), WA (17), WI (1), WV (1), and WY (2). In addition, Salmonella Senftenberg has been found in food samples from retail and a patient household during this outbreak investigation. PulseNet identified 6 persons who had illness caused by Salmonella Senftenberg with matching PFGE patterns between July 1, 2009 and today. Public health officials have interviewed 5 of the 6 ill persons with this strain of Salmonella Senftenberg and determined that two purchased a recalled salami product during the week before their illness began. These six cases are not included in the overall case count reported above.

FSIS continues to issue expanded recall notices - Product List for Recall 006-2010 and Expansions - as well as a list of stores that sold the product.

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Salmonella Attorney
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