Recently, a friend of mine shared a article with me. The article is about a caterer being sued for giving the guests of a wedding party food poisoning. The actual foodborne illness discussed is called Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)This is an interesting story, in that the couple are actually suing almost three years after the fact and questions remain as to where the contamination came from.

This blog post will examine the article and try and evaluate the article from a food safety standpoint.

From the story, the reception occurred two weeks after the wedding ceremony. Before the caterers arrived, during set up for the reception, a guest that was there to help set up, had brought a platter of cheese and pepperoni they had purchased from a grocery store, and was sitting on a table when the caterers arrived. The party started around 3 or 4 pm. the first bouts of illness started getting reported at around 6:30 pm.

For those that don’t know, Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) is found on the skin and i the nose of humans and animals. According to the CDC, “It usually does not cause illness in health people, but Staph has the ability to make toxins that can cause food poisoning” (CDC). The Staph bacteria can be destroyed by cooking; however, if toxins are produced, those are resistant to heat. Proper prevention is achieved by washing hands before touching foods, covering open sores with a bandage and glove (if on the hands). If a food item becomes contaminated with the Staph bacteria, cooking to proper temperatures before it has the chance to create toxins with destroy the bacteria. Allowing contaminated foods to sit out at improper temperatures after contamination will result in the Staph bacteria creating toxins that will make a person sick.

In analyzing the story (and only the story, as I have no further information to go off of), It sounds like the caterer did everything correct in ensuring that the food was delivered and stayed at temperatures conducive to food safety. The platter of cheese and meats which were noted as being out on the tables; however, could have been the cause of the illness (and this is where I am pointing the finger, based on my knowledge and expertise in food safety). The caterer was investigated for almost six months and tests on the leftover food was inconclusive as to contamination.

Unfortunately, there is not a great deal of information in the story to get an actual understanding of what occurred. For me, there are still several unanswered questions that would help narrow down the culprit of the foodborne illness.

1. The couple is suggesting the Macaroni & Cheese caused the illness. Did all the people that ate the Mac & Cheese get sick?
2. Did anyone that DID NOT eat the Mac & Cheese get sick?
3. Did all the people that got sick eat the same foods or was their a commonality that they all ate?
4. Was the cheese and pepperoni platter investigated as well?
5. Did any of the people who got sick eat from the platter as well?

One thing I will note, as a former caterer, I would have suggested that the platters and any other foods not be available while my food is being served. As you can see from this incident, it is too difficult to know where a foodborne illness originates.