Supplier to end classroom lunch portioning at Sha Tin school after 39 fall ill

A lunch supplier will stop portioning meals in classrooms at a Hong Kong primary school following a suspected food poisoning outbreak that hit 39 pupils and staff members last week.

Danny Catering Service said in a statement on Sunday to its school partners, parents and teachers that the incident was “isolated” and linked to the school’s portioning arrangement, and did not affect its services at other locations.

“To ensure student food safety and avoid potential cross-contamination or temperature fluctuation risks during classroom portioning, the company has decided to discontinue the ‘classroom on-site portion’ mode at the affected school from Monday,” it said.

The Centre for Health Protection said on Saturday that it was investigating a suspected food poisoning cluster, in which 37 students and two staff members at a Sha Tin school developed stomach pain and diarrhoea about eight to 22 hours after eating the same type of lunchboxes last Wednesday.

Twenty-three boys and 14 girls, aged between five and 11, from Baptist (Sha Tin Wai) Lui Ming Choi Primary School, and two employees, aged 34 and 38, were affected.

Two pupils sought medical advice and were in a stable condition, while the others experienced mild symptoms and did not need to see a doctor.

According to the supplier, inspections at its factory carried out by authorities on Friday confirmed that the production and cooking processes “fully comply with food safety standards”.

The official investigation and test results had yet to be released, the supplier added.