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Shellfish polluted with raw sewage poisoned hundreds at Fat Duck
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Business Editor10 Sep 2009
A food poisoning epidemic which struck down almost 600 diners at Heston Blumenthal's award-winning Fat Duck restaurant was caused by raw shellfish contaminated with human sewage, an official report released today revealed.
During January and February hundreds of guests - including television sports commentator Jim Rosenthal and boxing promoter Frank Warren - suffered sudden bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting after visiting the Michelin-starred eaterie.
Health inspectors who conducted a probe into the unsavoury outbreak have now confirmed that the norovirus bug, brought into the restaurant through contaminated shellfish, was to blame.
The Health Protection Agency experts also concluded that the outbreak continued to affect diners for six weeks because sick staff continued to turn up to work and handle the shellfish.
Unsuitable products were also said to have been used to clean kitchen surfaces.
The report into the restaurant, in Bray, Berkshire, said: "There was a large outbreak of food poisoning among diners at the Fat Duck Restaurant in January and February 2009, with more than 500 reporting illness.
"The organism responsible was norovirus which was probably introduced via shellfish.
"Oysters were served raw, razor clams may not have been appropriately handled or cooked and the tracing of shellfish to source showed evidence of contamination.
"The outbreak continued for at least six weeks because of ongoing transmission at the restaurant - which may have occurred through continuous contamination of foods prepared in the restaurant or by person-to-person spread between staff and diners or a mixture of both."
Following the investigation into the outbreak, which caused 529 people to report illnesses, health officers from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead allowed the restaurant to reopen in March.
It has since gone on to top the 2010 Good Food Guide.
Health Protection Agency South East Regional Director, Dr Graham Bickler, said: "This investigation has been long, complex and thorough.
"It confirms the well-known risks that raw shellfish pose.
"Oysters and other shellfish can become contaminated with norovirus originating from human sewage, especially during winter months."
A spokesman for The Fat Duck said: “We are glad that the report has finally been published and draws a conclusion to the closure of The Fat Duck and more importantly that the Norovirus has been identified as the cause and not due to any lapse in our strict food preparation processes.
“We were affected by this virus during a national outbreak of what is an extremely common and highly contagious virus.
“The restaurant has been open as normal since 12 March and I would like to reassure our guests that they can continue to visit us with total confidence.”
Reader views (1)
Raw fish is a no no in this country as it is never fresh. Basically if you stick to wild Alaskan salmon which is mostly only sold in tins, you will never, ever, get ill. Any other fish from any other sea or a fish farm has the ability to be contaminated. Why would anyone choose to eat something not knowing if they would get ill from it.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 10/09/2009 18:25
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