Posted: July 16th, 2010 - 3:57pm by Ben Chapman

North Carolinians love their BBQ. As a relatively new transplant to the south I’ve embraced BBQ and have been learning the different nuances of both Eastern and Western NC BBQ (Eastern is vinegar based, Western has more tomato, both are pork). I like BBQ and while I travel around the state working on extension stuff I try to sample the local fare. Last week, while in Nash Co. NC, my team grabbed some lunch at Doug Saul’s BBQ and Seafood (Audrey and Ted are in the picture below, exactly as shown). It seemed like the local hangout, not unlike a rural Tim Horton’s in Canada, and the patrons were dressed in everything from suits to overalls. BBQ is a community thing.

A couple of months ago, Bullock’s BBQ in Durham was the source of a Salmonella-linked outbreak that caused 65 illnesses and resulted in 7 hospitalizations. Early on in the outbreak investigation the owner of the place initially blamed temperature abuse of a takeout order. After the outbreak sales dropped 80% and the usually busy restaurant was close to empty, but the source of the illness didn’t seem to matter to some community members as they rallied around.  At the time Sam Poley, marketing director for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau said, "This is a long-standing restaurant ... 58 years in business ... never had anything less than an ‘A' health rating. Today is an important step in helping Bullocks solve a consumer confidence problem." Sure. But inspection results aren’t a great indicator of whether a business is going to have an outbreak or not.

Today, WRAL news reports that the Durham Co. Health Department has released information that suggests that supplier issues, not employees were the cause of the outbreak.

Initial tests found Salmonella bacteria in foods containing egg, and further investigation determined the likely source of the outbreak was bacteria in a commercially made egg white product the restaurant used to make meringue.

The health department found no violations of food handling practices at Bullock's, a Durham institution that serves walk-in customers and has a booming catering business.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted similar outbreaks across the country linked to pasteurized egg whites sold by the same supplier and made at the same plant as the products delivered to Bullock's officials said.

Tests conducted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and other labs couldn't conclusively prove that the product was contaminated with Salmonella.

Bullock’s BBQ did the right risk management step purchasing a pasteurized egg product to be used for a raw egg containing dish and couldn’t avoid illnesses, because these things happen and there is never a guarantee of 100% risk-free. It looks like the eggs but blaming their patrons initially wasn’t the best practice, a better plan would have been to say that they were sorry their food made people sick.