Chicken rice poisoning case in Nha Trang: Not enough basis to determine which food caused the poisoning

Tram Anh chicken rice poisoning patient was treated at Yersin Nha Trang General Hospital before - Photo: MINH CHIEN

According to the report of Khanh Hoa Food Safety and Hygiene Department, after conducting an investigation at Tram Anh chicken rice restaurant, it was determined that the meal that caused the poisoning was the lunch and afternoon meals on March 11 and 12, caused by microorganisms (Salmonella spp, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus).

Because the restaurant sells dine-in and take-out food and does not print receipts, the owner cannot keep track of the number of people who bought and used food prepared by the restaurant in 2 days.

The analysis of the attack rate of the dishes in the meal that caused the poisoning showed that the attack rate of the dishes was relatively equal. The difference in attack rate between those who ate and did not eat the dishes in the lunch and dinner on March 11 and 12 was not high.

Because the dishes on the food tray can be cross-contaminated with each other. On the other hand, the facility did not keep food samples, so the investigation team could not take samples of each individual dish of the meal that caused the poisoning.

Tram Anh Chicken Rice Restaurant was suspended from business pending investigation - Photo: MINH CHIEN

Regarding the remaining chicken rice sample provided by the patient for the investigation team to send for testing, the dishes were kept together in the chicken rice box, so cross-contamination between the dishes could also have occurred.

Therefore, there is not enough scientific basis to specifically determine which food is the causative food; it can only be assumed that the causative food is chicken rice (including dishes: rice, shredded chicken, grilled chicken, fish sauce, egg sauce, pickled vegetables, fried onions, soup).

In addition, the investigation results showed that up to 228 people (accounting for 81.43%) had an incubation period of 6 - 24 hours; 27 people (accounting for 9.64%) had an incubation period of over 24 hours; it can be determined that the food poisoning cases were related to microorganisms, not chemicals or natural toxins.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vu-ngo-doc-an-com-ga-o-nha-trang-khong-du-co-so-de-xac-dinh-thuc-an-nao-la-nguyen-nhan-gay-ngo-doc-20240401120400818.htm