Take-away operator sentenced Five children in hospital after eating kebab

In the canton of St. Gallen, a landlady of a takeaway was sentenced after several customers, including five children, fell ill with food poisoning.

A 33-year-old woman and her husband have been running a takeaway in the canton of St. Gallen since 2022. She is the landlady, he is the manager and cook.

In March, a person complained of vomiting and diarrhea after eating at the takeaway. After the illness was reported to the Office for Consumer Protection and Veterinary Affairs (AVSV), a food inspection with sampling was carried out on March 15, as "20 Minuten" writes.

The result: two samples showed massive exceedances of guideline values. Staphylococcus enterotoxins were detected in one sample of kebab meat. These are the bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Five children in hospital due to food poisoning

In the penalty order, the St. Gallen public prosecutor's office wrote: "The snack bar was ordered to take measures to improve hygiene practices."

On the weekend of March 16 and 17, two independent groups of children also ate at the takeaway. These five children also suffered food poisoning and had to be treated at the St. Gallen Children's Hospital, "20 Minuten" continues.

The hospital reported the incidents to the AVSV. Another inspection was therefore carried out on March 18. Once again, two samples were found to massively exceed the guideline values. "Staphylococcal enterotoxin was repeatedly detected in a sample of kebab meat", according to the public prosecutor's office.

In addition, the AVSV criticized the hygiene practices in handling food, the lack of dating of food and its incomprehensible traceability and the incorrectly recorded temperature control records.

Deficiencies were not rectified

Four days later, another official inspection was carried out, this time to clarify the cases of illness. The points objected to on March 18, such as the lack of food dating and traceability and detailed hygiene, were not rectified, the newspaper writes.

"The defendant endangered the health of several people by storing the kebab meat incorrectly, which was caused by carelessness in breach of duty," the penalty order states.

However, this could have been prevented, in particular by checking her husband's working methods. In addition, the lack of hygiene practices had also been pointed out during the inspection. "Nevertheless, the deficiencies were not remedied by the third inspection, which means that she at least accepted the listed violations," the public prosecutor's office stated.

Sentenced to a conditional fine

In mid-November, the St. Gallen public prosecutor's office found the 33-year-old guilty of negligent handling of food in a manner hazardous to health, unauthorized handling of food or utensils and violation of the regulations on the hygienic handling of food or utensils.

She was sentenced to a conditional fine of 40 daily rates of CHF 130 each, totaling CHF 5200, which she will only have to pay if she reoffends within two years.