Factory worker brought a packed lunch to work… what happened next left 46 violently ill

Dozens of workers at a seafood factorywere left hospitalized after a packed lunch led to an outbreak of food poisoning. 

Employees started falling ill at the NAFCO wholesale distribution plant in Jessup, Maryland, about three hours after eating a Filipino noodle dish known as pancit.

It is believed that the traditional meal – which comprises rice noodles, mixed vegetables, chicken, chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar – was provided by a worker and shared among colleagues. 

First responders and paramedics arrived to factory around 3:45pm on Monday, and 46 people were evaluated and transported to area hospitals.

Howard County’s Department of Fire and Rescue Services confirmed that all patients were non-critical. 

NAFCO told The Baltimore Banner that it was an isolated incident and it was not responsible for supplying the meal in question. 

A representative also revealed that the meal was not served inside the factory area. 

They explained: ‘It’s unfortunate because we are 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 of these contingencies.’

The CDC notes that chicken is commonly linked with foodborne illness, with most of these illnesses coming from Salmonella and CampylobacterA germs. 

Illness linked to chicken can come from cross contamination and from the meat not reaching a high enough temperature (165° Fahrenheit) to kill any germs that might be inside it.

A call at the NAFCO factory was placed to 911 when employees started showing signs of food poisoning, the company spokesperson confirmed.

The Howard County Health Department told DailyMail.com that it is continuing 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 talking to those affected to learn more details about the food in question. 

‘At this time, we are not aware of any risk of further illnesses connected to this incident and believe there is little risk to the larger community.

‘As we have more information, we will share 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.

It is believed that the traditional meal – which comprises rice noodles, mixed vegetables, and chicken – was provided by a worker and shared among colleagues

It noted in reaction to the incident: ‘NAFCO maintains the highest standards of food safety and regularly undergoes rigorous inspections by health authorities. 

‘Its products continue to be safely produced and consumed by customers nationwide, and there are no issues related to its supply chain.’

Many commenters on social media highlighted that this is the reason they do not share food in the workplace and partake in potlucks. 

One Facebook user wrote: ‘And this is why I don’t do potluck anymore; I haven’t for years. 

‘You can’t trust the cleanliness, or lack thereof, of others, especially not after the trifling that came out about people during Covid. Animals on counters… People not bathing for days / weeks on end…’

Another commenter mused: ‘This [kind of thing] is rare really. Let’s be honest. 

‘That does not mean you should let your guard down but if you have your doubts about a dish or its source, trust your gut. (Pun intended).’