Shredded chicken and how it was handled is being investigated as the possible cause of illness for more than 150 students at University of Canterbury student accommodation, according to New Zealand Food Safety.
Students reported falling ill in the middle of the busy exam period after eating a meal served on Sunday night. Residents at the hall who skipped the meal reportedly did not become ill.
NZ Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle today said food safety officers were on site yesterday and today to determine the cause of the illness.
“Our working assumption is that the cause was shredded chicken served as part of a meal,” he said in a statement.
“The amount of time between the food being eaten and symptoms appearing (about 11 hours) is consistent with unsafe handling practices around cooling, reheating and hot holding of the meat. We are working to confirm this.”
Arbuckle said had the issue been uncooked meat, the ministry would expect to see a typical incubation period of “around two to five days”.
“We will be working to confirm this hypothesis with the kitchen, and we will work to put in place any required corrective actions.”
Food safety officers are currently in the process of “carefully reviewing the kitchen’s processes to ensure they are following good food safety practices”.
“We are also interviewing staff, reviewing records, and inspecting the kitchen,” he said.
“Foodborne illness symptoms are very unpleasant and we feel for the students affected, particularly those who have had their studies disrupted.
“We acted promptly to reduce exposure to the risk and prevent it from happening again.”
‘Potential gastroenteritis-like illness outbreak’
Unsafe handling of shredded chicken is believed to be the culprit, with New Zealand Food Safety reviewing the kitchen’s processes. (Source: 1News)
The National Public Health Service is working alongside the university and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to determine the cause of the “potential gastroenteritis-like illness outbreak”.
In a statement this evening, public health medical specialist Claire Salter told 1News it was notified of the mass illness on Monday morning.
More than 150 students have since reported becoming unwell since Sunday evening.
“Public health staff have collected some faecal samples today for testing at the laboratory to help determine the cause,” Salter said.
Gastroenteritis is used to describe the combination of diarrhoea, nausea (with or without vomiting), stomach pain, and fever. Gastroenteritis is usually caused by an infection in the stomach and intestines. It can sometimes be caused by a toxin produced by bacteria in food. People can catch gastroenteritis from a person who has it, or by eating/drinking contaminated food or water.
Any students experiencing diarrhoea and/or vomiting have been advised to visit the Health New Zealand website.
‘A sour taste’
Troy Lewis told 1News many of his peers became sick after eating at the student accommodation.
“We went to dinner at 5.10pm. I got both the chicken and beef option while some of my mates got only one. I woke up at 4am and had to rush to the toilet and found that I wasn’t the only one.”
Lewis then had to attend a physics exam for the engineering course, which was made “far more difficult” as he said he had to focus on not being ill.
“I noticed people from uni hall would leave and re-enter the exam room multiple times, and typically the same people would go multiple times, myself included.
“This experience really leaves a sour taste in my mouth, as they never even issued an apology. [They] just sent us a survey and said it was gastro which doesn’t make sense considering how many people got sick.”
Another student said she sat an exam on Monday morning after one or two hours’ sleep.
“I definitely did not do as well as I could have had done if I had more sleep.”
She said some students were in the bathroom for long periods of the exams while others left and didn’t return “because they couldn’t keep it in”.
There was concern among some students that they wouldn’t get into courses next year as they didn’t do as well in the exam as expected.
Affected students ‘feeling much better’
In a statement this evening, the university’s director of people, culture and campus life, Paul O’Flaherty, told 1News they were “grateful” to NZ Food Safety for their “swift and supportive response”.
“NZFS is working closely with the contracted caterers to review and strengthen their processes and are currently in the caterer’s kitchen conducting a thorough investigation and ongoing monitoring of the food.”
Earlier today, O’Flaherty said the students affected “have reported to be feeling much better today”.
He confirmed there were “no new cases” following the incident.
The university has contacted all students in the affected halls of residence with information “directly outlining what to do if they think their exam performance was impacted and/or if they could not attend”, O’Flaherty said.
“UC’s Special Considerations team will provide individual support and answer any queries.
“We want to do all we can to support our students’ health, well-being, and academic success.”
Last night, O’Flaherty said affected students had been directed to UniLodge for any support they might require, including a free electrolyte mix, bottled water, and packaged meals.
