Five people have been charged in connection with a deadly outbreak of food poisoning that occurred in Taiwan last year.
The Taipei Public Prosecution announced the charges after investigating the incident at Polam Kopitiam restaurant.
The outbreak led to at least 33 cases and six deaths by March 2024. The rare toxin Bongkrekic acid, produced by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans, was responsible for diseases. Sick people ate boiled wet rice noodles at the restaurant of the same shopping center in eastern Taipei.
Bongkrekic acid was found on samples from one of the chef’s hands at the restaurant, but no food samples from the restaurant or its suppliers, including two types of rice noodles, showed contamination.
Local media reported that prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of more than four years for the franchise owner, four years and two months for the replacement chef, a “severe punishment” for the chef and “appropriate punishments” for the store manager and an internal .
Prosecutors say a basket of noodles was left unrefrigerated and was used to prepare meals for customers over the next few days.
The Justice Department has also helped the families of the six victims apply for compensation. Each family will receive NT$1.8 million (US$55,000).
Research by experts from the Department of Forensic Medicine of National Taiwan University revealed the presence of Bongkrelic acid in the blood of one of the deceased, marking the first-ever detection of the toxin in Taiwan, according to a study published in the Journal of Infection. All patients with severe disease tested positive for Bongkrecine acid.
Most victims were young to middle-aged people, including 13 men and 20 women, and developed symptoms within 12 hours.
Symptoms of Bongkrekic acid poisoning often begin with gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as muscle weakness, dizziness, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, the condition can quickly progress to multi-organ failure.
There is no antidote for Bongkrekic acid poisoning and no standardized treatment protocols for affected individuals. Patient care generally includes providing symptomatic relief and supportive measures.
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