Tests Confirm Salmonella At DeFusco's In Johnston

The state Department of Health said it detected salmonella on egg crates taken from DeFusco's Bakery in Johnston.

The tests were performed as part of an investigation of a salmonella outbreak that so far has sickened 56 and sent 24 to the hospital. An elderly man in his 80s died on March 23. Nearly all of those stricken by the food-borne illness reported eating zeppoles that originated from DeFusco's Bakery in Johnston and Cranston.

Until the egg crates tested positive for salmonella, the health department said it did not have conclusive evidence to link DeFusco's to the outbreak and was basing their investigation on significant anecdotal evidence. 

None of the food items taken from the bakery tested positive for salmonella. 

"Food items that we tested all came back negative for salmonella. However, some of the swabs — the test samples — that we took from the cardboard egg boxes did test positive for salmonella. What that tells us is that there is a presence of salmonella in the bakery," Annemarie Beardsworth, health department spokeswoman, told NBC10.

DeFusco's passed health department inspections in December and April of 2010 with satisfactory inspections, Beardsworth said. The owners of DeFusco's have been working with health department officials to ensure the violations discovered during last week's inspection are resolved before they're allowed to reopen.

Workers at the bakery reportedly used egg crates to store pastry shells, the health department said. Raw egg residue on the crates could have transferred salmonella to the shells. Additionally, the health department found cream stored above safe temperatures. 

The egg crates aren't the kind found in the supermarket aisle. The ones used by restaurants and bakeries are much larger and come stacked in large boxes. 

During the investigation, the health department discovered another bakery in Providence, Buono's Bakery, using crates to store pastry shells. Zeppole, cream puff and eclair shells were stored in the crates. As a result, the health department is advising anyone who bought those items from Buono's Bakery to discard them.

Salmonella will incubate in the body from one to three days after being ingested. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, cramps and fever that lasts from four days to a week. Young children and the elderly are at higher risk. For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/

For an updated list of locations that served the zeppoles, visit http://1.usa.gov/RI-salmonella.