Public Health Approves Reopening of Ming’s Restaurant
Written by admin, January 11, 2013
January 11, 2013 – Restaurant Meets All Required Safe Food Handling and Inspection Standards
The Peterborough Public Health stated today that Ming’s Restaurant has met all the requirements for safe food handling and passed a pre-opening inspection allowing it to reopen.
Ming’s was ordered closed on December 14, 2012 following an outbreak of lab-confirmed cases of Salmonella linked to the restaurant. A total of 18 cases were identified (14 lab-confirmed, 4 epidemiologically-linked) from patrons who had eaten at the restaurant.
“We are confident that our Public Health Inspectors have taken all the steps necessary to prevent further Salmonella cases from Ming’s Restaurant,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “We would like to thank the owner and staff at Ming’s for their full cooperation with the investigation and review of food safety measures during the closure of the restaurant.”
Dr. Salvaterra said the source of the outbreak was undetermined which is not surprising considering the interval between the time when people ate at the restaurant and when Public Health first received notification of the outbreak. The Public Health conducted a thorough investigation of the premises and staff including:
An immediate and complete inspection of the restaurant
- Testing food samples
- Testing food preparation surfaces and storage areas
- Requiring the testing of all staff
- Consultation, contact tracing and obtaining food histories from all cases
The following steps were taken by Public Health to ensure Ming’s was safe for the public and ready to reopen:
Ensuring that all staff were free of Salmonella.
- Conducting a pre-opening inspection. No violations were noted.
- All restaurant staff have received Public Health’s Food Handler Training course and are certified.
- A cleaning and disinfection policy and procedure is in place and approved by Public Health.
The Public Health reminds residents that the best way to minimize your chances of contracting Salmonella and other food-borne illnesses is to follow these steps:
Contaminated foods may look and smell normal. Thoroughly cook foods to destroy the bacteria.
- Do not eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry or meat. Remember raw eggs are contained in foods such as homemade hollandaise sauce, caesar and other salad dressings, tiramisu, homemade ice cream, homemade mayonnaise, cookie dough and frostings.
- Poultry and meat, including hamburgers, should be well-cooked, not pink in the middle. If you are served undercooked food in a restaurant, send it back.
- Avoid raw or unpasteurized milk and other dairy products. Mother’s milk is the safest food for infants. Breast feeding prevents salmonellosis and many other health problems in nursing infants.
- Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before eating them.
- When buying and storing groceries, keep meats separate from fruits, vegetables, cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods.
- Because bacteria grow quickly at room temperature, go directly home from grocery shopping and refrigerate or freeze food immediately.
- Always defrost food in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never at room temperature. Set your refrigerator to 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) and your freezer to -18 degrees C (0 F).
- Wash your hands before handling any food. Be sure to wash your hands, cutting boards, counters, knives and other utensils after preparing uncooked foods.
- If you have been diagnosed with salmonellosis, do not prepare food or pour water for anyone else until you are clear of the bacteria.
- Wash your hands after contact with animal feces, for example, after changing the kitty litter or scooping up after your dog.
- Since reptiles can have Salmonella, always wash your hands after handling them. Reptiles, including turtles, are not appropriate pets for children and should not be in the same house as an infant.
If you are diagnosed with salmonellosis, be sure that you or your doctor informs the local Public Public Health. If many cases occur at the same time, it may mean that a restaurant or a particular food item maybe contaminated and Public Health needs to investigate.
For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
(705) 743-1000, ext. 391