More than 200 children fell sick in Italy after eating school meals this past month.
A total of 224 cases of salmonellosis were reported following an outbreak in some school canteens served by Qualità&Servizi.
Farro with pomodorini (cherry) tomatoes and pesto provided on Sept. 24 was behind the Salmonella poisoning among students of certain schools in the province of Florence.
Almost all cases are from Sesto Fiorentino and Campi Bisenzio, with 100 and 92 patients, respectively. There were 26 hospitalized people.
A total of 61 cases were recorded in nurseries, 51 in kindergartens, 106 in primary schools, and four in secondary schools. Also, 21 Qualità&Servizi operators tested positive, although almost all cases were asymptomatic.
Simone Bezzini, a health counselor in Tuscany, revealed the information in response to a question by Marco Landi, a regional councilor and spokesperson for the opposition.
Response from authorities and company
In late September, the Tuscany Local Health Unit (USL) reported that investigations and inspections to identify the origin of cases had been started.
Controls included a hygienic and sanitary assessment of the facility that prepared the suspect meals and the taking of food samples. During the investigations, no non-conformities were found that would require suspension of the school canteen service.
Nineteen tests were carried out on food and six on water, with one positive for Salmonella in a sample of farro with pesto and pomodorini. It belonged to the same Salmonella group as isolates from affected children.
Qualità&Servizi said its plant in Via del Colle in Calenzano was the subject of checks by officials from the ASL Toscana Centro. As a precaution, the company temporarily suspended service on Sept. 27 and restarted it on Oct. 1.
“In silence, we have worked and are working with the relevant bodies to analyze, investigate, understand, compare, and find an explanation, with the intent of questioning ourselves while knowing that every day we have carried out and carry out our work with seriousness, professionalism, and care,” said a company statement.
“It will, therefore, be our responsibility and that of those carrying out the checks to seek answers and explanations that we intend to address with transparency and responsibility because we owe this to all of you and ourselves.
“Today, we work because there are no objective reasons to continue to deny the service. We will do it as always with the utmost seriousness and with the maximum possible precautions. But in all of this, there will be no room for joy until all the children are well; there will be none until we mend the breach in trust of the families that we had built with so much work together.”
Other incidents
Salmonella infections have also been reported at schools in Bastia Umbra.
Officials reported that the canteen service was gradually being restored following recent sanitization work. In total, 33 children are sick, with the latest date of illness onset being Oct. 6.
In May this year, health officials in Modena received reports from four schools in the province about illnesses after consuming pomodorini tomatoes.
Tomatoes were given to children as part of a fruit and vegetables in schools project and the incident was not related to food provided in the canteen.
A total of 132 students and seven teachers developed mostly mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Two were taken to the emergency room and discharged after a few hours.
Laboratory tests showed no bacterial contamination of tomatoes, and the values of other possible chemical contaminants were also normal.
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