NEWTON, Kansas, July 21, 2008 – A Newton restaurant is trying to clear its name after a salmonella outbreak last month.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment named the Acapulco Restaurant as the possible source of the contamination, but now the owners say those tests came back negative.

"All the samples that they took back, everything has come back negative for salmonella,” said Salvador Lujano Jr., owner of the Acapulco Restaurant.

He is confused and wants answers. Last month, his family’s restaurant was named as a possible source of a salmonella outbreak by the KDHE. But now, Lujano Jr. knows the salmonella in question was an egg-based strain of the disease. So he wonders how his restaurant is to blame.

"We have maybe a dozen eggs that we go through in a few days, and that's it,” he said. “So, it’s not like we have a big batch that could contaminate anything."

The health department did inspect the restaurant shortly after the outbreak, and did site the restaurant on four minor infractions. But it did not shut the place down. In fact, it’s stayed open this entire time.

Late Monday, the Harvey County Health Department released a statement saying the food items associated with the salmonella outbreak were pico de gallo and guacamole and that the food was likely contaminated with preparation procedures, cross contamination or contaminated produce.

But Lujano wants to know how that could happen if eggs are the root of the problem.

“It is very frustrating,” he said.

Customers are standing behind the Acapulco Restaurant, saying the salmonella scare never stopped them from coming in to eat.

"When there is nothing certain, when you look at the damage that can do to someone, we just wanted to make sure that they knew that we supported them and do what we could,” said patron April Reynolds.

The Lujanos appreciate the support and hope one day to clear their name.