Restaurant salmonella outbreak

Wing Wah, a Chinese restaurant in Oldbury in the West Midlands, has been made to pay out £65,000 after almost 50 diners contracted salmonella poisoning. Kwai Lun Chiu, one of the directors, was also given a 12-month Community Order which carries 100 hours’ community service. The restaurant was also fined £10,000 with £9,610 costs at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

An 80-year-old man was so ill after eating at the restaurant that he was admitted to hospital for 12 days. Five other customers also needed hospital treatment. The cause of the salmonella was thought to be the use of raw eggs in a tiramisu dessert.

Wing Wah’s parent company Western Star (Midlands) Ltd, of Ethel Street, Birmingham, has since ceased trading. Company bosses admitted selling food that was unfit for human consumption and committing three hygiene offences.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection. Most people that are infected with Salmonella develop diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps between 6 and 72 hours after infection. In most cases, the illness usually lasts 3 to 7 days and most affected persons recover without treatment.

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