130 People Food Poisoned After Eating 'Jangeo Dosirak' at Japanese Department Store... 1 Death

Local Health Authorities Suspend Operations of Lunchbox Company

130 people who ate eel lunch boxes sold at a department store in Japan have contracted food poisoning, causing a stir. It is reported that one of the patients ultimately died.

Japan's NHK broadcast reported on the 29th (local time) that eel lunch boxes sold at the Keikyu Department Store in Yokohama City have been involved in a food poisoning controversy. Among the customers who purchased these lunch boxes, 130 people complained of symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, and the local health center has issued a business suspension order to the store due to the outbreak of mass food poisoning. It is also reported that one female patient in her 90s ultimately passed away.

Eel Rice Bowl Lunchbox. Photo is not related to any specific expression in the article [Image source=Pixabay]

The Yokohama City health authorities believe that this incident is likely a case of mass food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus. They also reported that during the lunch box preparation process at the store, employees grilling the eel are required to wear sanitary gloves, but on the day the food poisoning occurred, the employee worked without wearing gloves.

Staphylococcus aureus is a type of staphylococcus that causes food poisoning and is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract or skin. Therefore, health authorities recommend that people with wounds on their hands or fingers must not handle food.

Meanwhile, the management of Keikyu Department Store held a press conference in Yokohama City at 6 p.m. that day, stating, "We sincerely pray for the repose of the deceased customer and apologize for causing worry and inconvenience to our customers," and bowed their heads, saying, "We will cooperate with the Yokohama City Health Center's instructions and make thorough efforts to prevent recurrence."

The president of the company operating the eel lunch box store at the department store also apologized, saying, "We have been manufacturing lunch boxes with a mindset of safety first, but we deeply reflect on this incident," and "We are truly sorry for the person who died." It is reported that the company's headquarters is located in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, and currently has four branches in Tokyo including the Nihonbashi main store, and one branch each in Yokohama City and Chiba City.