Staph food poisoning blamed for 46 illnesses at Jessup seafood distributor, health officials say

BALTIMORE -- Staph (Staphylococcus aureus) food poisoning from an outside dish sickened dozens of employees at the NAFCO Wholesale Fish Distribution Facility on October 21 in Jessup, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

The health department said 46 workers became ill after outside food prepared by an employee was shared at the facility in the 7700 block of Chesapeake Court.

The tests were conducted on clinical specimens from ill individuals and on remnants of the food items eaten by the employees, the health department said.

The food was not distributed beyond employees at the facility.

"Staph food poisoning is caused by toxins made by the bacteria. Foods that are not cooked after handling, or are cooked and not kept between 40°F and 140°F, can cause illness if contaminated with Staph," the Maryland Department of Health said in a statement.

According to the Baltimore Banner, two representatives for the distributor NAFCO said the employees started falling ill about three hours after eating pancit, a Filipino noodle dish.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say these are the best steps to prevent Staph food poisoning:

• Always wash your hands before preparing or serving food.
• Keep food out of the "danger zone" between 40°F and 140°F.
• Refrigerate perishable food after 2 hours (or 1 hour if in 90°F or hotter temperatures).

"NAFCO maintains the highest standards of food safety and regularly undergoes rigorous inspections by health authorities," NAFCO said. "Its products continue to be safely produced and consumed by customers nationwide, and there are no issues related to its supply chain."