An employee ‘s homemade meal has been blamed for a mass food poisoning
incident at a Maryland seafood distributor that left nearly 50 people sick.
Emergency responders were called to NAFCO Wholesale Seafood Distributors
in Jessup at around 3.45pm on Monday following reports that multiple workers
were unwell after eating the same food, the Howard County Health Department said.
In total, 46
workers were evaluated and taken to hospitals for treatment. They were all in a
non-critical condition.
Following an
investigation, NAFCO said the food poisoning had been traced to food that an
employee prepared at his home over the weekend, and then brought it in to share
with his colleagues.
In the hours after the food was served during yesterday s lunch break,
nearly 50 employees displayed symptoms of food poisoning, the majority of whom
were treated and released from area hospitals, the distributor said in a
statement shared with The
Independent.
Two anonymous NAFCO representatives told The
Baltimore Banner that the food in
question was a noodle dish from the Philippines which the affected employees
had all eaten around three hours before they falling ill.
Outside food is now no longer allowed to be brought onto the company
premises, reported KGNS News.
NAFCO is one of the largest seafood distributors in the mid-Atlantic
region, selling products wholesale.
The company stressed in its statement that it continues to uphold high
food safety standards by undergoing rigorous inspections by health authorities.