Dozens of seafood factory workers were left hospitalized after a takeaway lunch sparked an outbreak of food poisoning.
Employees began getting sick at NAFCO’s wholesale distribution plant in Jessup, Maryland, about three hours after eating a Filipino noodle dish known as pancit.
The traditional meal, which includes rice noodles, mixed vegetables, chicken, chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar, is believed to have been provided by one worker and shared among his colleagues.
First responders and paramedics arrived at the factory around 3:45 p.m. Monday and 46 people were evaluated and transported to area hospitals.
The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services confirmed that all patients were not critical.
Dozens of workers at the NAFCO seafood factory in Maryland were hospitalized after a takeout lunch sparked an outbreak of food poisoning.
NAFCO said The Baltimore Flag that this was an isolated incident and that he was not responsible for the supply of the food in question.
A representative also revealed that the food was not served inside the factory area.
They explained: “It’s unfortunate because we’re in the food business, but this happened in our parking lot.”
“If there’s a positive here, we have a huge food safety staff here and all these contingencies.”
The CDC notes that chicken is commonly linked to foodborne illnesses, and most of these illnesses come from Salmonella and CampylobacterA germs.
Chicken-related illnesses can be caused by cross-contamination and the meat not reaching a high enough temperature (165° Fahrenheit) to kill any germs that may be inside.
A 911 call was made at the NAFCO factory when employees began showing signs of food poisoning, the company spokesperson confirmed.
The Howard County Health Department told DailyMail.com it continues to work closely with the Maryland Department of Health and other partners to investigate the cause of the “foodborne illness outbreak.”
A representative added: ‘We are beginning the process of speaking to those affected to find out more details about the food in question.
‘At this time, we are not aware of any risk of further illness related to this incident and believe there is little risk to the wider community.
“As we have more information, we will share it on our social media channels.”
NAFCO, which is one of the largest seafood distributors in the mid-Atlantic region, said no consumers or outlets have been affected by the incident.
The traditional food, which includes rice noodles, mixed vegetables and chicken, is believed to have been provided by one worker and shared among his colleagues.
Reacting to the incident, he noted: ‘NAFCO maintains the highest food safety standards and regularly undergoes rigorous inspections by health authorities.
“Their products continue to be safely produced and consumed by customers across the country and there are no issues related to their supply chain.”
Many commentators on social media highlighted this as the reason why they do not share food in the workplace or participate in potlucks.
One Facebook user wrote: ‘And that’s why I don’t do potlucks anymore; I haven’t done it in years.
‘You can’t trust the cleanliness, or lack thereof, of others, especially after the nonsense that came out about people during Covid. Animals on counters… People who don’t shower for days or weeks at a time…’
Another commenter mused: ‘This (kind of thing) is really weird. Let’s be honest.
‘That doesn’t mean you should let your guard down, but if you have doubts about a dish or its origin, trust your instincts. (Pun intended).’