Norovirus Sources Found in Restaurants

Bare Hands and Stomach Bugs Poison Restaurant Goers

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is begging sick food service workers to stay home. A new report finds that food contaminated at banquet halls, catering companies, and restaurants is responsible for 1,008 different norovirus infections.

Of the 1,008 cases, the CDC pinpointed that 364 came from restaurant employees already sick with the disease, while 196 involved food workers handling prepared dishes with bare hands. The infection most often spreads to food after it has been prepared and will not be cooked anymore. This information prompted eateries across the country to cut back on barehanded food preparation and some states to mandate the use of disposable gloves.

Some high-end chefs who prefer to work without gloves argued against the mandate, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration feels it is a small price to pay to bring down the number of food poisoning cases in the United States. The last four years have been particularly difficult for food safety—significant outbreaks of salmonella, E. coli, and listeria have all occurred in the past three months.

Did You Get Sick from a Restaurant's Food?

Food safety regulations still vary from restaurant to restaurant and state to state. If you've had any kind of food poisoning, you may have a case.

Call Edgar Snyder & Associates today at 412-394-1000 or use the form at the top right corner of this page for a free legal consultation. There's no obligation to use our services, so there's no risk. We answer your calls and questions 24/7.