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.
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