Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Vanilla Ice Cream at Hong Kong Hotel

Health authorities in Hong Kong have identified eight linked food poisoning clusters involving 15 people who ate vanilla ice cream at three restaurants in the Grand Hyatt hotel earlier this month. The affected individuals, ranging from 3 to 42 years old, experienced symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after consuming the contaminated ice cream.

Uncovering the Salmonella Outbreak at the Grand Hyatt

Tracing the Contamination

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) revealed that the clusters were linked to the same hotel in Wan Chai, where all the affected people fell ill after eating the ice cream at the three venues on June 1 and 2. The stool specimens of six of the affected individuals tested positive for Salmonella upon laboratory testing, with four of the Salmonella isolates belonging to the same group of Salmonella enteritidis.

Immediate Response and Investigation

In response to the outbreak, environmental hygiene officers from the CHP inspected the relevant restaurants and the ice cream production kitchen, reviewing the food preparation process and collecting samples for testing. The concerned premises were immediately suspended from the production and sale of the ice cream, and the locations underwent thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Ongoing Monitoring and Enforcement

The CHP continued its inspection of the premises on a daily basis and confirmed that the production and sale of the contaminated ice cream had been suspended. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is currently reviewing the results of the investigation and may initiate prosecutions against the premises if there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing.

Ensuring Food Safety and Hygiene

The CHP has advised the public to observe personal, culinary, and environmental hygiene at all times to prevent food-borne diseases, such as refraining from eating raw seafood when dining out. The center also provided advice on food safety and environmental hygiene to the people in charge and staff of the affected restaurants.

Ongoing Investigations and Findings

The CHP conducted further inspections and testing at the restaurants and the ice cream production kitchen on June 12, but so far, no Salmonella has been found in the ice cream, vanilla oil samples, environmental samples, or staff stool samples collected from the relevant premises. The investigation is ongoing, and the FEHD will review the results and take appropriate action if necessary.

Safeguarding Public Health

The Salmonella outbreak at the Grand Hyatt hotel has highlighted the importance of maintaining strict food safety and hygiene standards in the hospitality industry. The swift response and ongoing investigations by the health authorities demonstrate their commitment to protecting public health and ensuring that such incidents do not recur in the future.