South Carolina's health department shuts down the salad bar at a Ruby Tuesday restaurant after a teen finds a mouse on his plate.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control says an initial investigation indicates the restaurant is not to blame for the incident, as it did not find evidence of mice infestation or droppings.

Soon-to-be high school senior Edward Viehman, 17, says he saw the mouse on his plate right after taking the first bite.

He tells Reuters, "I immediately spit everything out of my mouth... I said a few choice words, because it scared me ... then went to the bathroom to see if I could throw up."

Ruby Tuesday spokesman Rick Johnson says the Spartanburg restaurant was sprayed for pests just days before.

He says some of its salad bar items are pre-packaged and bought from a California distributor.

Johnson says, "We do not believe that this object originated in our restaurant... This is an unfortunate and very isolated incident."

Health department spokeswoman Claire Boatwright says that while the investigation is ongoing, "It's not looking like a problem on the restaurant's part."

During its last two surprise inspections, the restaurant scored a 98 out of a possible 100.

Viehman says he is not planning to sue the restaurant chain.

He says, "We kind of figured from the beginning that it had nothing to do with the restaurant... It sounded to me that it happened before it got there."