Posted: June 24th, 2010 - 10:06am by Doug Powell

Nunzi's, a popular east Erie, PA, restaurant reopened Wednesday after it voluntarily closed for two weeks after a salmonella outbreak that sickened eight people.

Dennis Williams, a lawyer representing restaurant owners Michael and Betsy Cilladi, said a young hostess tested positive for Salmonella and she is no longer employed at the restaurant.

Williams further stated, "The obvious conclusion is that she somehow transmitted it to those eight people. For lack of a better word, Nunzi's has been exonerated.”

I’m not comfortable hearing such certainty from anyone, especially a lawyer.

Blame the employee? Did the bosses ask employees to work, even if they were sick? Did they have high expectations for personal hygiene, especially during busy times? Did the owners create a workplace culture that fosters and encourages microbial food safety?