At least 21 cases of salmonella linked to hummus from local restaurant chain Moby Dick House of Kabob have been reported in Maryland.
The rise in number was first reported by Fox5 and confirmed by the Maryland Department of Health.
Moby Dick House of Kabob has locations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. The health department said the cases have been associated with several locations.
Hummus production resumed at the chain’s food processing plant in Hyattsville after the health department inspected and reviewed the restaurant’s food production practices and after Moby Dick House of Kabob implemented required corrective actions. The health department approved the resumption on Oct. 4.
The chain said in a statement Tuesday that extensive environmental and product testing determined that “there is no evidence of a direct correlation” between its hummus and the salmonella cases, and that tests done by the health department have all come back negative for the presence of salmonella and any other harmful pathogens.
On Wednesday, health department spokesman Maureen Regan said, “MDH has not excluded Moby Dick House of Kabob hummus as the source of this salmonella outbreak.”
The health department began investigating a cluster of salmonella infections on Sept. 26 that were linked to the local kabob chain. At the time, the health department said that eight of the nine confirmed cases reported eating hummus sold at the chain’s locations.
The restaurant voluntarily stopped selling its hummus, and said that it conducted its own independent testing and hired an outside food safety and environmental consultant to review the matter.
An Arlington, Virginia, woman is suing the restaurant after she said she experienced flu-like symptoms days after she ate its hummus.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within six hours or four days after the infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.
Babies, the elderly and those with impaired immune systems may experience severe illness and require hospitalization.
For more information about salmonella, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
