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'Several' Additional Cases of Food Poisoning Reported

Posted on: Friday, 19 August 2005, 18:00 CDT

The Knox County Health Department said Monday that some additional cases of food poisoning have been linked to the Ribs, Rides 'N' Rock charity fund-raiser at World's Fair Park.

Department Director Mark Jones said Monday that "several" additional cases were reported. Initially, it was reported that 24 people were treated at area hospitals.

Tests are still under way to determine the source of the food poisoning. Earlier, Jones said suspects included a food vendor or a local grocery store that supplied some of the food.

"Hopefully, we will have some answers by the end of the week or the first of next week," depending on how long lab tests take, Jones said.

Likely, the problem is how the food was handled or temperature control, or possibly a combination, Jones said. "But in some situations, it is not possible to tell (identify the source) or to get a conclusion," he said.

The Saturday fund-raiser was part of the 2005 Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride, an event aimed at raising money for children's charities. The News Sentinel was one of the sponsors of Saturday's event.

The health department and other agencies offer many suggestions for preventing food poisoning:

* Wash your hands with hot soapy water before handling food, wash boards, dishes, utensils and countertops after preparing each food item.

* Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in a grocery cart and refrigerator.

* Always cook to proper temperatures, use a clean thermometer when measuring internal temperatures of foods.

* Refrigerate food promptly. Perishables, prepared foods and leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours or sooner.

For additional information, contact the Knox County Health Department at 865-215-5000.

Jim Balloch may be reached at 865-342-6315.

Source: News Sentinel

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