Photo of Tina Knowles gumbo stand
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Health inspectors who shut down Tina Knowles’ gumbo stand found multiple violations after a woman contracted food poisoning caused by C. difficile baterium.

Health officials shut down Mama Tina’s Gumbo stand at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on Monday, March 16.

Health inspectors responded to the site after multiple complaints of food poisoning. Knowles was allowed to reopen her gumbo stand on Tuesday, March 17.

One woman complained that she contracted C. difficile, a potentially deadly bacterial infection that causes colitis, a severe inflammation of the colon (large intestine).

In her complaint, filed March 16, a woman said she ate gumbo and later developed symptoms including vomiting, chills, nausea and fever. She also reported “throwing up blood,” according to the complaint obtained by KPRC2.

Health officials inspected Mama Tina’s Gumbo stand and found “thawing seafood” stored improperly.

Photo of Tina Knowles gumbo
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Inspectors were told the gumbo had been prepared at an off-site location where it was placed into non-food grade orange buckets and taken to a freezer at an unlicensed location, KPRC2 reported. The frozen gumbo was transported to a refrigerated trailer at the rodeo where it was thawed before being served.

Mama Tina’s gumbo stand didn’t have any temperature logs showing the temperature or storage time of the seafood on site.

The health inspector “observed bags of frozen shrimp and crab with a label that stated ‘keep frozen.'”

Photo of man eating Tina Knowles' gumbo
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All of the improperly stored food was discarded on the site, the health inspector said in a report.

The health violations included:

  • Food source used after the first day of the rodeo was not listed on the approved permit application
  • No documentation showing proper cooling temperatures and times for foods
  • No date marking for food prepared more than 24 hours prior
  • Frozen food not kept frozen

    • Health inspectors educated Knowles and her workers on corrective action, including rapid cooling methods, date marking instructions, and proper thawing methods.

    Inspectors returned on Tuesday, March 17, to perform a pre-opening inspection.

    Mama Tina’s Gumbo stand had a freezer trailer and all food stored inside was frozen solid, according to health department records.

    Knowles also prepared the gumbo on-site daily in the morning before serving.

    The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ended on Sunday, March 22.