Hong Kong health authorities are investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to several restaurants at the prestigious Grand Hyatt hotel, sickening over a dozen diners and prompting a swift response from food safety officials.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reported on June 21 that it had confirmed a total of eight epidemiologically linked food poisoning clusters, involving 15 individuals who all consumed vanilla-flavored ice cream at the Grand Hyatt between June 1-2.
Symptoms among the affected patrons, which included 9 men and 6 women aged 3 to 42, ranged from abdominal pain and fever to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea – with the illness striking 15 to 65 hours after consumption.
“All of the 15 affected persons have sought medical advice. Four of them required hospitalization and were discharged after treatment,” the CHP said, adding that all patients were now in stable condition.
Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of Salmonella enteritidis in stool samples from 6 of the diners, prompting an immediate investigation by food safety authorities.
“Following notification of the incident…the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and the Environmental Hygiene Branch of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) immediately conducted investigations at the relevant premises and the ice cream production kitchen concerned,” the CHP statement read.
Inspectors reviewed the food preparation process in detail, collecting samples for further testing, and ordered the immediate suspension of ice cream production and sales at the affected restaurants. The premises were also instructed to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.
While no salmonella was detected in the initial batch of ice cream, environmental or staff samples, the FEHD said it would continue daily inspections and consider prosecution if sufficient evidence of food safety violations is found.
The outbreak comes as a major embarrassment for the luxury Grand Hyatt, a popular destination for business travelers and tourists alike. Food safety experts say the hotel will need to work closely with authorities to regain consumer trust and prevent similar incidents in the future.
