Two days after Florida named China Buffet on East Fowler as the source of a listeriosis outbreak, the restaurant is open again. Its manager told FOX 13 that professionals scrubbed the place — drains included — and that a health inspector cleared it to reopen. The state, for its part, says it will continue to work with the restaurant as the investigation goes on.
Here is what a deep clean does not do. It does not un-sicken the five people already in this outbreak. It does not change the fact that Florida’s own environmental swabs matched the strain of Listeria monocytogenes making people sick to surfaces inside that building. And it does not answer the question that still matters most: which food carried it. The state has not identified that yet, and anyone who ate there between April 9 and June 28 is still inside the 70-day window in which Listeria can surface.
Marler Clark is investigating the China Buffet outbreak and talking with people who got sick after eating there. When epidemiology and a matching environmental isolate line up the way they have here, these cases are provable — and the people harmed by a restaurant that regulators had warned, closed, and reopened for years deserve answers.
Frequently asked questions about Listeria
What is Listeria?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that causes listeriosis, one of the deadliest foodborne infections. It grows even at refrigerator temperatures and is especially dangerous to pregnant women, newborns, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can appear days — or even weeks — after exposure.
What foods cause Listeria outbreaks?
Deli meats, hot dogs, soft cheeses, unpasteurized dairy, smoked fish, and pre-cut produce and melon have all been linked to Listeria. Because it grows in the cold, contamination can spread during storage.
Why is Listeria so dangerous in pregnancy?
In pregnant women Listeria can cross the placenta and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening infection in the newborn, even when the mother’s own symptoms are mild.
What are the symptoms of listeriosis?
Fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal symptoms; in invasive cases it can cause meningitis or bloodstream infection. Symptoms may not appear for up to 70 days after exposure.
Can I sue if I or my baby was harmed by Listeria?
If a contaminated food caused the infection, a product-liability claim may be available. These cases often involve serious, well-documented injuries and clear genetic links to a recalled product.