Foodborne Disease Outbreak Following A Luncheon, Tarrant County, Texas

An outbreak of foodborne illness involving 120 (39.3%) of 305 luncheon attendees was investigated by the Tarrant County Health Department, Texas in 1982. The foods served at the luncheon were prepared at two restaurants, BBB and SDI. Interviews of the attendees yielded needed data to implicate banana pudding as the contaminated food, and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) as the etiologic agent. E. coli was isolated from 16 of 17 (94.1%) of the ill persons and from 6 of 7 (85.7%) of food handlers. E. coli was also recovered from leftover barbecued beef, potato salad, banana pudding and beans. Only banana pudding was significantly associated with illness (p=0.03 Fisher's exact test). It is postulated that an ill food handler introduced the organism which contaminated the food, and improper holding temperatures made conditions ideal for the growth and toxin production of the suspect etiologic agent.