Salmonella Sickens Dozens

According to health officials, over 100 people have been sickened by eating salmonella contaminated food at Sheetz Convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. Contamination may also be at stores in Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and cramps, but is seldom fatal.

Tomatoes and lettuce supplied by Coronet Foods of Wheeling, WV, are suspected to contain the salmonella and Sheetz has pulled the products from all of its 300-plus stores. Coronet Foods has been aggressively investigating and taking corrective action.

"As a produce supplier for Sheetz, Coronet Foods is concerned for the health and safety of consumers," a news release from the company stated. "We understand that the Health Department has identified javiana as the salmonella strain, and has narrowed its investigation to Roma tomatoes, though Coronet Foods has not been officially notified."

Interestingly, some mystery continues since the strain of salmonella that sickened people doesn't seem to be the strain identified in samples taken by the health officials. The investigation continues.

Stan Sheetz, president of Sheetz Inc., and other company officials visited some stores in Western Pennsylvania to meet with customers and provide assurances. The effort seemed to help since one customer was overheard to say that she wasn't worried about the food at Sheetz. She stated that "she gets diarrhea from her own cooking all the time." Ah! The perfect customer!