KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Cracker Barrel location in Kalamazoo has been closed down permanently following a Salmonella contamination.
According to the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services department (HCS), the restaurant has been under investigation for an outbreak since June.
Back in June the Cracker Barrel location was cited with health code violations. The restaurant remained closed over the summer until they could meet all the the Michigan Food Law requirements to reopen. HCS inspected the restaurant before they reopened, and the restaurant and employee protocols were monitored.
HCS says that a patron was recently diagnosed with Salmonella and prompted expedited environmental testing by MDARD and Cracker Barrel's private testing firm.
On Wednesday, November 28, HCS received a letter from Cracker Barrel Corporate indicating they would be closing their Kalamazoo location permanently. The voluntary closure was due to Cracker Barrel's private testing firm discovering significant Salmonella contamination was found in the restaurant.
More on Salmonella
Salmonella is a strain of bacteria that can make people sick. A person can get Salmonella infection from a variety of sources, including eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or from contact with infected animals or people and not washing hands afterwards.
Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection, however it can take up to 16 days after the initial exposure to present symptoms. The illness usually lasts 4-7 days and most individuals recover without treatment. However, in some persons, symptoms may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.
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