Searching a fingerprint database typically used to solve crimes, authorities hope to find who lost a partial finger that a customer at a Wendy's restaurant in San Jose says turned up in a bowl of chili served to her on Tuesday.
The woman scooped up a mouthful of the steamy stew and bit down on the digit before spitting it out, Joy Alexiou, spokeswoman for the Santa Clara County Health Department, said Thursday.
Alexiou said the county coroner is attempting to find a fingerprint match in an electronic database.
Ben Gale, director of environmental health for the county, said officials are also conducting a "trace back," following the chili ingredients to their manufacturers.
Employees at the Wendy's were asked to show investigators their fingers after the Tuesday night incident. All employees' digits were accounted for, officials said, adding that the well-cooked finger may have begun its journey in a food processing plant.
Wendy's spokesman Denny Lynch said company officials met Thursday with authorities in San Jose to discuss the results of their internal investigation.
"All of our employees have 10 digits," Lynch said, adding that there have been "no finger-related" accidents reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from any supplier of chili ingredients to Wendy's.
CBS News | Woman Says Finger Found In Chili | March 25, 2005�04:00:01
