An outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis food poisoning due to foodstuffs contaminated from a kitchen blender, November 1999 - Ehime
(IASR 2000; 21: 118-119)

On November 11, 1999, a medical institute in Doi town advised the local health center that more than 20 children complained food poisoning symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. Field investigation revealed that among 2,153 pupils and teachers in 2 kindergartens, 5 elementary schools, and one junior high school in the town, 904 presented illness (attack rate 42%). Of them 311 visited medical facilities and 15 were hospitalized. All these cases were turned out to have eaten school lunch which was prepared at D school catering center. Onset of illness varied from November 6 to November 13.

Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from 103 stool specimens out of 164 samples. Vegetable dressed with sesame seeds and soy sauce, which was served on November 5, was implicated food. S. Enteritidis was isolated from base of propellers in food blender, which was used for mixing sesame and soy sauce. Phage typing was carried out by NIID, and all isolates were turned out phage type 1.

The food blender was washed and disinfected after use, but propellers were not removed at that time. Remains of foodstuffs were observed at the root of the propellers. This food blender was often used for beating eggs, and beating was carried out on November 1 and 2. Sesame and soy sauce dressing was prepared after that. The food blender was used for preparing "chigusa-yaki", paste cake made of egg, carrot, spinach, minced chicken, which was served on November 8. Cooking record revealed that heating of chigusa-yaki was insufficient, thus this was supposed to be implicated food too.

Although the food blender was supposed to be contaminated for long time, cooking process after food processing probably killed S. Enteritidis and prevented further illness.

Reported by: Yoji Komoda and Koichi Inari, Ehime Prefectural Iyomishima Health Center; Yukihiro Kitagawa and Koji Imajo, Ehime Prefectural Saijo Central Health Center; Hiroshi Tanaka and Mitsuaki Ohseto, Ehime Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Science

Correspondence: Ehime Prefectural Iyomishima Health Center;
Fax: +81-896-28-1043

Return to the TopPage

Back to Home