The Barry-Eaton District Health Department has completed its outbreak investigation at Tequila’s Mexican Grill in Charlotte, according to a health department news release.

 

The investigation included an assessment of the restaurant environment concerning the most common risk factors for foodborne illness, an assessment of the food histories collected for both ill and well persons and laboratory analysis of food samples and a single stool specimen.

 

Results of laboratory testing were inconclusive in pinpointing what caused the illnesses, which is not uncommon in foodborne outbreak investigations. Much of the food served at the onset of the outbreak was no longer available for sampling, so it is possible the food collected and tested was not the source for the illnesses.

 

Additionally, the single stool specimen tested did not reveal what caused the illness. Analysis of the food histories of both ill and well persons did not identify any one specific food item as being highly suspect for the reported illnesses.  It is quite possible that more than one food item may have been the source for the reported illnesses.

 

The initial closing of the restaurant occurred June 18. During the investigation there were several significant food code risk factors for foodborne illness related to food handling and storage found.

 

As the investigation progressed, the continued presence of these violations contributed to the second closing of the restaurant on June 21 alongside the determination that norovirus was an unlikely cause of the illness, the release said.

 

The restaurant was allowed to reopen on July 8, but with continued oversight by the restaurant’s hired food safety consultant and the health department. The update history regarding the outbreak can be accessed at www.barryeatonhealth.org.