34 people contract stomach illness after eating from Kirkland taco truck
by KOMO News Staff
Wednesday, Sep 20th 2023
FILE – This file photo shows tacos, rice and beans on a plate. (Getty Images)
KIRKLAND, Wash. — The public health department is investigating after 34 people got sick following a private event catered by a Kirkland taco truck on Thursday.
Public Health — Seattle and King County said it’s looking into an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness associated with the event in which food was provided by Tacos El Guero. Symptoms and the timing of the “illness onsets were suggestive of a bacterial toxin, such as Clostridium perfringens or Bacillus cereus,” the department said.
The 34 sick people each developed, from Thursday to Friday, one or more symptoms consistent with the bacterial toxin, including diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and nausea, the health department said. The exact food or drink that caused the outbreak hasn’t been identified, the department added, saying that it’s “not uncommon for outbreaks associated with a bacterial toxin.”
Environmental health investigators visited the food truck and restaurant on Monday and “identified potential risk factors for bacterial toxin growth including inadequate refrigeration and improper cooling of food,” the health department said. “We also observed inadequate equipment improper reheating, and lack of managerial oversight.”
“Additionally, food at this event was served out of an unpermitted food truck,” the health department added. “Corrective actions were discussed at the time of the visit. Based on unsafe food handling practices identified during the investigation, environmental health investigators closed the restaurant on September 18, 2023. Environmental Health investigators will revisit the facility to ensure adoption of safe food handling practices prior to allowing the restaurant to reopen.”
The health department said bacterial illnesses are typically short-lived, and by the time people seek care, if they do at all, the symptoms are gone anyway. The department said it doesn’t have lab testing for the people who got sick.
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Kirkland, WA – In a concerning incident, 34 individuals have fallen ill after consuming food from a taco truck in Kirkland. The private event, which took place last Thursday, was catered by Tacos El Guero. The outbreak, now under investigation by Public Health – Seattle and King County, has been identified as a potential case of gastrointestinal illness caused by bacterial toxins.
According to the health department, the symptoms experienced by the affected individuals, including diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and nausea, are indicative of bacterial toxins such as Clostridium perfringens or Bacillus cereus. The exact source of the outbreak is yet to be determined, though the health department noted that outbreaks associated with bacterial toxins are not uncommon.
In response to the incident, environmental health investigators conducted an inspection of the food truck and discovered several risk factors that could contribute to the growth of bacterial toxins. These factors included inadequate refrigeration and improper cooling of food, as well as unsatisfactory equipment and reheating techniques. Additionally, it was found that the event had been served out of an unpermitted food truck.
As a result of the unsafe food handling practices observed during the investigation, the health department took decisive action. On September 18, 2023, environmental health investigators ordered the closure of the restaurant. The investigators will revisit the facility to ensure the adoption of safe food handling practices before allowing the restaurant to reopen.
While bacterial illnesses tend to be short-lived and often resolve without medical intervention, it is concerning that 34 people were affected by this outbreak. The health department stated that they do not have lab tests to confirm the specific bacterial sources of the illness.
The investigation into this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proper food handling practices and the need for stringent oversight to ensure public safety. Consumers must remain vigilant and choose food establishments that adhere to high standards of hygiene and compliance with regulations.
Public Health – Seattle and King County urges anyone who attended the private event and experienced symptoms consistent with the bacterial illness to contact them and provide necessary information for their investigation.