The food poisoning case originated from grilled eel prepared by the Nihonbashi Unagi Isesada restaurant chain and sold at the Keikyu department store in Yokohama, Japan's second most populous city.
On the morning of July 25, local health authorities received the first report of two people suffering from food poisoning with typical symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Through investigation, medical experts determined that this group of people had eaten boxed lunches and grilled eel sold at Keikyu department store.
Test results showed that Staphylococcus aureus bacteria - often found on human skin and transmitted through the skin - was the cause of the poisoning. This type of bacteria has the ability to produce toxins, causing acute digestive symptoms when entering the body.
Currently, at least 147 people who ate grilled eel prepared by the Isesada restaurant chain showed signs of poisoning, including children under 10 years old and elderly people over 90 years old. Although most cases had mild symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, two people had to be hospitalized for treatment.
Unfortunately, a 90-year-old woman died after eating grilled eel at this store. However, medical experts confirmed that her underlying illness was the main cause of death, not entirely due to food poisoning.
Grilled eel (unagi) is a popular local Japanese dish, especially popular in the summer. The serious food poisoning incident related to this dish shocked Japanese public opinion.
According to initial information, Isesada restaurant sold more than 1,700 boxed lunches and grilled eel on July 24 and 25. What's worrying is that at least 450 of them have incorrect expiration dates and lack information about allergens, potentially causing harm to consumers' health.
The investigation agency also discovered a number of serious violations of processing procedures. Specifically, five employees did not comply with food safety and hygiene regulations when directly preparing eel without wearing gloves.
Immediately after the incident, the restaurant had to recall all products and send a sincere apology to customers. At a joint press conference on July 29, representatives of Isesada and Keikyu department store pledged to conduct a thorough investigation to clarify the cause of the incident.
