Man dies and eight others hospitalized after suspected food poisoning at Sétif fast-food outlet
A 29-year-old man has died and eight other customers were taken to hospital after a meal at a fast-food restaurant in Ksar El Abtal, a commune in the south of Sétif province, prompting a gendarmerie investigation and the immediate closure of the establishment.
The incident occurred on Wednesday after customers ate tacos at the outlet. The victims were treated at the Aïn Oulmane hospital, where most of them have since stabilized, while one remains under close medical monitoring. Relatives of the dead man said his wife, who shared the meal, is in intensive care and that her condition is giving cause for concern. The authorities have not confirmed this.
The National Gendarmerie went to the scene and opened a field investigation together with the provincial health and trade directorates and the commune's hygiene office. Investigators are examining hygiene standards, food storage conditions and preparation methods. The restaurant's manager has been questioned, and judicial proceedings are expected. Samples of every component of the meal have been sent to a specialised laboratory, whose results should identify the pathogen involved.
Investigators are looking first at the mayonnaise and the cheese, products that spoil quickly when the cold chain is broken. Nothing has been established so far, and no lead has been ruled out. The authorities have said further measures could follow if serious failings are confirmed.
Sauces made with eggs and dairy products can carry bacteria such as salmonella when they are kept at the wrong temperature, which is why inspectors check refrigeration and storage in food businesses. Such controls are routine across the country. Earlier this week, police in Tiaret seized and destroyed 16 quintals of spoiled poultry meat, one of several operations aimed at keeping unfit food off the market.
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