Jessup, Maryland – Dozens of individuals were rushed to area hospitals this week following an outbreak of food poisoning at NAFCO Wholesale Seafood Distributors in Jessup, Maryland. The incident occurred on Monday, impacting a total of 46 adults who fell ill after consuming a homemade dish brought into the workplace by an employee.
According to the Howard County Health Department, the cause of the mass illness was traced back to a Filipino stir-fry noodle dish known as “pancit” that was shared among employees at NAFCO Wholesale Seafood Distributors. The dish, prepared by an employee at home over the weekend, led to all individuals who consumed it becoming sick shortly after.
NAFCO released a statement confirming that the illness was linked to the homemade food shared among employees at the seafood distributor’s premises. The company emphasized that no consumers were exposed to any potential risks or contaminated products as a result of the incident.
Local health authorities, including the Howard County Health Department, reassured the public that the wholesaler’s products are regularly inspected to adhere to health and safety regulations. NAFCO’s parent company, Stanley Pearlman Enterprises, affirmed their commitment to operating under the highest industry standards to ensure consumer safety.
Following the outbreak, the Howard County Health Department initiated an investigation into the incident, aiming to identify the specific cause of the food poisoning. The department announced its intention to collect samples of the food consumed and test them in a laboratory to determine the causal agent responsible for the widespread illness.
Dr. Clifford Mitchell from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene expressed the need to examine specimens from affected individuals to aid in identifying potential pathogens. While the investigation is ongoing, it remains unclear whether foul play was involved in the food poisoning incident at NAFCO Wholesale Seafood Distributors.
NAFCO, a prominent wholesale seafood distributor in the region, does not directly sell its products to the public, maintaining its focus on supplying restaurants and retailers with quality seafood products. The company’s reputation for upholding stringent health and safety standards has been reiterated in the wake of the food poisoning outbreak.