At least nine people fell ill after consuming grilled chicken at a restaurant at Chinnakadai Street in Madurai’s Sholavandan area, raising questions over food safety standard in eateries.
According to reports the incident occurred on the evening of February 4. According to the Deputy Director of Health Services, out of the nine affected individuals, four were admitted to the Sholavandan Government Hospital, while the remaining five, who had mild diarrhoea, were taken to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai.
Two of them were discharged after receiving treatment at Sholavandan Hospital, while the others continue to receive medical care.
The Food Safety Department officials and police have launched a detailed investigation, and as part of initial probe, have penalised the restaurant for hygiene violations.
Chicken-Related Health Issues In Past
This is not the first time that the food served at a restaurant caused health issues. In November last year, a 19-year-old girl died and 11 others fell ill after eating at a restaurant in Nirmal, Telangana.
According to reports, the group had dined at Grill Nine Multi-Cuisine Restaurant in AN Reddy Colony, ordering Chicken Fried Rice, Chicken 65, and Tandoori Chicken.
In the same month, a 23-year-old consumed chicken biryani at a restaurant in Hyderabad’s Neredmet, following which he was admitted to a hospital with symptoms including severe vomiting, diarrhoea, and high temperature.
In October, as many as 13 youth were admitted to hospital in Visakhapatnam after suffering severe vomiting and stomach. They had consumed chicken biryani and barbeque chicken wings in a noted restaurant at Gajuwaka.
In May 2024, three people fell sick after eating chicken rice at a fast-food restaurant near the bus stand in Namakkal town of Tamil Nadu. The food safety department had sealed the eatery after the incident.
Even though chicken is considered a nutritious choice when cooked, the raw chicken or undercooked chicken can make you ill.
When Does ‘Healthy Food Choice’ Cause Illness?
According to US government’s official health website, raw chicken can be contaminated with Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Clostridium perfringens germs. If you eat undercooked chicken, you can get a foodborne illness, also called food poisoning.
In America, the government estimates say that Salmonella causes more foodborne illnesses than any other bacteria. Chicken is a major source of these illnesses. In fact, about 1 in every 25 packages of chicken at the grocery store are contaminated with Salmonella.