The Kankakee County Health Department (KCHD) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella, a bacteria that is a common cause of food poisoning. As of May 14, KCHD has identified eight individuals with Salmonella infections who ate prepared food from Cracker Barrel, 50 Ken Hayes Drive, in Bourbonnais. Cracker Barrel voluntarily closed on May 4 and is cooperating with KCHD to determine a source of the infections.
KCHD performed an environmental assessment of Cracker Barrel and provided guidance on safe food handling practices and environmental cleaning to prevent further spread of disease. KCHD also has issued an alert to area physicians about the outbreak, providing medical guidance.
Salmonella symptoms usually last four-to-seven days, and most individuals recover without any treatment. Although most infections resolve without any antibiotics, older individuals or those with weakened immune systems may need medical evaluation and treatment. If you are experiencing severe diarrhea, symptoms of dehydration, or a high fever, seek medical attention. Most people who are infected develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps between six hours and six days after eating contained food. For more information on Salmonella, visit https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/.
KCHD is monitoring closely for additional reports of illness. If you experience a diarrheal illness after consuming food from this establishment, contact KCHD at 815-802-9400, option 3, to file a suspected food poisoning complaint.