In March 2023, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA), and Butler County Health Department (BCHD) staff investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections at an adult detention facility in Butler County. Sixty-two cases (7 confirmed and 55 probable) were identified. No one was hospitalized and no one died.

Residents having consumed the chili macaroni from the regular food menu served for dinner on March 8 were statistically more likely to experience illness (OR: 11.8, 95% CI: 2.7-51.4, p 0.001). No other food items were statistically associated with illness.

Sequencing of confirmed cases specimens were highly related to an isolate in PulseNet. This isolate was collected by the USDA from a chicken sample from Processor A in October 2022. Invoices and photos of food products used at the detention facility showed 40-pound blocks of mechanically separated chicken (MSC) were used for their chicken-containing dishes. These blocks were produced by Processor A. The MSC block used at the time of the outbreak was not available for testing. A sample from a different block produced by Processor A tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis, but the isolate was not related genetically to isolates obtained from ill residents.

KDA conducted an environmental assessment of the facility on March 16, 2023. KDA staff observed inadequate cooling of prepared food, lack of temperature monitoring during cooling, lack of quaternary ammonium sanitizer for food contact surfaces, and expired testing strips for the sanitizer.