Taste of Chicago Festival Defended by City’s Health Department

In the wake of the recent Pars Cove Salmonella outbreak, the Chicago Health Department is defending the food safety record of the Taste of Chicago Festival. The Health Department points out that the Salmonella poisoning linked to salad served at a festival booth is a first in the festival’s 20 year history. The department says scrutiny at the festival is intense, with food inspectors on sight around the clock, and that all vendors receive rigorous food-safety training. The inspectors check each booth at least four times a day. Unfortunately, these measures were not enough to protect the 717 people now reporting Salmonella symptoms after having eaten at the Pars Cove Restaurant booth at the festival. The city’s health department thinks the outbreak originated with contaminated shirazi salad served at the booth, but the investigation is still ongoing.