Summary
- Over 700 people experienced symptoms of food poisoning at a Christmas dinner hosted by Airbus Atlantic.
- The cause of the illness is still unclear, but some employees have speculated that Rocamadour cheese may be to blame.
- Health officials are investigating whether bacteria in the food or a contagious virus caused the outbreak.
France's health agency, Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS), has launched an investigation after several Airbus staffers fell ill with food poisoning at a Christmas dinner on December 14. Over 700 people were said to have showed clinical signs of nausea or diarrhea.
It is unclear what exactly was on the menu or what the attendees may have eaten, resulting in their sickness lasting for two days. Although multiple reports suggest that hundreds of people fell ill, Airbus told the media that under 200 attendees were affected.
Details of the incident
According to the BBC, the staffers work for Airbus Atlantic, a subsidiary of the European planemaker. Following their festive feast, many attendees reportedly experienced food poisoning symptoms. As ARS has begun its investigation, Airbus said it was cooperating with the agency "to identify the cause of the illness and ensure" that the nightmare does not occur again in the future, according to the BBC.
ARS has not provided any details about the recipes or exact food that caused the staffers to become sick. However, according to The Guardian, items on the menu included foie gras, scallops, lobster, and tournedos. Ice cream logs and chocolate mousse were reportedly served for dessert.
Some staffers speculated that Rocamadour cheese, which is made from goat milk, may have been the ingredient to blame, according to DW. A spokesperson said that "investigations are ongoing," as reported by The Guardian. A questionnaire was sent out to all attendees to aid in the investigation.
Symptoms like never before
One employee reportedly explained their symptoms to the Ouest-France newspaper, saying they "had colic and headaches like […] never had before" and that "it was worse than giving birth."
Airbus told the BBC that "around 100" of its staff fell sick, despite reports of as many as 700 being victim to food poisoning. On Friday, ARS reportedly said that those ill showed "clinical signs of vomiting or diarrhea," with most people experiencing their symptoms within 24 to 48 hours after consuming their meal. Fortunately, no one was hospitalized from their symptoms. Airbus reportedly said the event appears to be isolated, and the employees are recovering.
2,600 people reportedly attended the gourmet dinner, which The Guardian notes was organized and provided by Airbus' own restaurant at Montoir-de-Bretagne in the Loire-Atlantique region in Western France.
Health officials are reportedly looking into whether bacteria in the food caused the food poisoning or if it was an extremely contagious gastroenteritis virus.
"We still don't know if this concerns the Christmas meal or the service the next day, the first cases having been declared on Friday," said Frédérick David, FO Airbus Groupe delegate, according to The Standard.
Analyzing food samples
Airbus Atlantic Works Committee Secretary Jean-Claude Iribarren spoke to The Guardian about the food illness outbreak.
“As we do every year, we organised a Christmas dinner for 2,600 people with a lot of local suppliers. People have been a little hasty about the causes. We are obliged to keep samples of every product served in the restaurant. They will be analysed by the ARS [health authorities]. The investigation will take several more days.”
Airbus Atlantic states on its website that it had 13,000 employees in 5 countries and 3 continents as of January 1st, 2022. Media sources report that the figure is now up to 15,000.
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Airbus
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- Stock Code:
- AIR
- Date Founded:
- 1970-12-18
- CEO:
- Guillaume Faury
- Headquarters Location:
- Toulouse, France
- Key Product Lines:
- Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380
- Business Type:
- Planemaker
-
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