NZ university students fall ill with suspected food poisoning from chicken souvlaki

·

More than 100 students at the University of Canterbury (UC) in New Zealand have fallen ill after eating chicken souvlaki at their halls of residence.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday evening, caused widespread illness during the exam period, with students queuing for toilets and some vomiting out of windows. Several students missed or had to leave exams on Monday due to their symptoms.

The suspected food poisoning is being investigated, with food safety officers on-site. Vincent Arbuckle from New Zealand Food Safety said the likely cause was improperly handled shredded chicken, which was not chilled quickly enough and not reheated properly, allowing bacteria to grow.

“Our working assumption is that the cause was shredded chicken served as part of a meal,” he said.

“The amount of time between the food being eaten and symptoms appearing (about 11 hours) is consistent with unsafe handling practices around cooling, reheating and hot holding of the meat… We are working to confirm this.”

UC has contacted all affected students, offering support and special consideration for missed exams. “We want to ensure students are aware of the support available during this time,” said UC spokesperson Paul O’Flaherty.

Affected students are advised to stay hydrated and follow health guidelines. The university will take further action once the cause is confirmed.

Source: ABC News.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Palesviaki Enosis of Melbourne purchase new building in Oakleigh

A new era begins for Palesviaki Enosis of Melbourne and Victoria, as the Executive Board has reached an agreement to purchase a new building.

GCM seeks $27.91 million compensation over land acquired for North East Link

The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria has filed a court case against the state, to have its compensation increased.

Bill Papastergiadis OAM pays tribute to the late Nick Andrianakos

President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis OAM, has pai tribute to the late Nick Andrianakos.

Greek National Tourism Organisation Office in Melbourne to open soon

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) is pleased to welcome the confirmation of the opening of the GNTO Australia Abroad Office.

Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Michael Tsilimos passes away

The President and Members of the Board of Directors of the GOCNSW, share in the mourning for the late Michael Tsilimos.

You May Also Like

On This Day: Zacharias Papantoniou, the ‘prince of Modern Greek speech,’ died

On this day in 1940, Zacharias Papantoniou, who was called the 'Prince of Modern Greek speech,' passed away.

Greece’s Alternate Foreign Minister: Greeks abroad should vote in 2023 elections

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, met with members of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association this week

Russian FM calls for speedy reduction of East Med tension, closer ties to Greece

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, met with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to discuss bilateral relations and Turkey.