Health Officials Confirm Human Finger Found In Chili

POSTED: 5:18 pm PST March 23, 2005
UPDATED: 10:34 pm PST March 23, 2005

SANTA CLARA -- Health officials confirmed Wednesday that a woman eating at a fast-food restaurant in San Jose Tuesday night bit into part of a human finger found in a bowl of chili.

Sheriff's Deputy Terrance Helm said the 20-year-old woman ordered a bowl of chili and actually bit into the cooked fingertip.

"She was a bit grossed out and vomited numerous times," health Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said. "She was emotionally distraught."

Health officials revealed that the fingertip was approximately one and one-half inches long. A fingernail was also discovered.

San Jose police officers responded to the scene and took possession of the digit, preserving it until health officials could examine the find.

The finger was considered to be fairly well preserved and did not show major signs of decomposition, according to Fenstersheib.

Health officials report the finger appears to have been torn off and not sliced with a knife, indicating it was possibly severed by a machine during the packaging process.

Despite the obviously unpleasant nature of the discovery, the health risks are being considered minimal.

Fenstersheib said the chili was cooked at 170 degrees and served on a steam tray at 150 degrees, temperatures high enough to destroy any viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis.

If the woman did contract any of the viruses, they would likely not show up in her system for six months.

Fenstersheib said a baseline test was conducted on the woman to determine if she had any diseases prior to contact with the finger, as doctors will await the six-month incubation period to determine if she contracted anything.

She will likely have one year in order to file a lawsuit in the case.

Health officials are beginning their investigation into determining the owner and origin of the finger.

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