Fifty-three optical employees were hospitalized Wednesday after
eating boxed lunches a day earlier.
The Shanghai-based Rinan Optical Co. Ltd. employees suffered
from diarrhea and vomiting after eating the meals, which included
kidney beans, on Tuesday at noon.
Eight of the 53, who were sent to a local hospital Wednesday
morning, showed symptoms of food poisoning, according to the city's
food and drug agency.
By Wednesday at noon, 30 of the employees were still
hospitalized. The others had returned to work. Three people
suffering serious symptoms are being closely observed. Currently
their condition has stabilized.
The agency has started investigations into the incident.
Recently, the quality of cooked food, boxed meals and seafood in
Shanghai is decreasing. It is mainly due to the broiling weather
hovering over the city since July, the food and drug watchdog
said.
Some local seafood providers added excessive amounts of
preservatives during production and transportation, causing 92
percent of the seafood to pass quality control examinations.
Shanghai has experienced 26 sweltering hot days this summer,
nearly three times more than in past years.
On Wednesday Shanghai's temperature hit 35.1 degrees Celsius,
the highest to date, although the date marks the beginning of
autumn according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)