Tainted Brunswick stew blamed for food poisoning at Cabarrus County church barbecue

CABARRUS CO., N.C. (WTVD) -- The results are in and Brunswick stew is being blamed for making hundreds of people sick at a North Carolina church.

A fundraising barbecue held in early November at Poplar Tent Presbyterian Church in Cabarrus County ended with nearly 300 people being sick.

Health officials announced cultures taken from the Brunswick stew served at the event contained a bacteria common in food poisoning.

The church has hosted the annual barbecue for more than 70 years. Eventgoers told WSOC that this is the first time anyone got sick from the event.