CALGARY — An outbreak of salmonella enteritidis has been linked to food trucks serving contaminated food, making 91 people in Calgary and other parts of Alberta sick, reads a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with information supplied by Alberta Health Services.
“This investigation highlights the potential for lunch trucks to be a source of foodborne illness and the need for robust regulatory compliance monitoring of lunch trucks and their food suppliers,” reads the report.
Between October 2010 and February 2011, 91 people became ill after eating contaminated foods, including breakfast egg sandwiches and pork dumplings, from food trucks serving work sites. One catering company in particular was implicated for supplying food trucks with illegally sourced eggs that contained salmonella enteritidis, which can cause diarrhea, cramping, fever and vomiting in those infected. Other violations were observed, including inadequate reheating of previously cooked food.
The food trucks in question were given safe food-handling courses, and no further cases have been identified.
