Figures:
Maryland health officials are investigating possible cases of food poisoning at what may be the worst-ever venue — a gathering of government and industry leaders attending a national Food Safety Summit. At least four people called the Baltimore City Health Department this week to report that they developed diarrhea, nausea and other symptoms about 12 hours after eating a meal April 9 during the conference at the Baltimore Convention Center.
That was midway through the annual meeting held April 8 to 10 that attracted more than 1,500 food safety professionals, including staff from federal agencies as well as businesses such as McDonald’s, Tyson, Chiquita and ConAgra Foods.
“None of us are very happy when we hear these things,” said Peggy Daidakis, executive director of the center. Word of the investigation spread Thursday when Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer, posted online a survey sent to him and other conference speakers and attendees asking them to report what they ate and how they felt after the meeting.
…Several officials with the federal Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attended the gathering and may have been affected. “A couple of our folks indicated that they had experienced symptoms associated with food poisoning after the summit,” said Juli Putnam, an FDA spokeswoman.
I’ve had food poisoning as well – it is no fun at all but it is rather amusing that our High Priests of Food, that send their missives down up we peons, suffer such an indignity at their hallowed gathering.
(H/T: NBC News)
