EyeInTheSky
Veteran
Deadly bacteria found in airline meals
HONOLULU (eTurboNews) -- Traces of potentially fatal E.coli bacteria were found in meals intended for British Airways passengers, The Australian reported, citing documents obtained by The Times reveal.
According to the documents, Gate Gourmet, the airline food company at the center of a bitter industrial dispute, tested several of its suppliers' products last year, The Australian reported.
An internal company document, Microbiological Information 2003-2004, identified eight meals between August 2003 and August last year that were infected with food-poisoning bacteria.
E.coli were found in a lemon-chicken salad and a meal of prawn with lemon herbs in August 2003; in a honey-glazed chicken and mustard mayonnaise sandwich in October 2003; in four other unnamed sandwiches in November 2003; and in a pesto butter steak fillet in March last year.
E.coli can cause diarrhea and kidney damage and trigger fatal infections.
A spokesman for Gate Gourmet said the products with E.coli had been identified before they reached the aircraft.
"Gate Gourmet takes its own microsamples of all incoming food from all suppliers before any food enters the food chain.
"Last September, Gate Gourmet discovered cases of E.coli from a supplier and immediately delisted the supplier and has not used the supplier since," he said.
"Gate Gourmet has no substantiated food-poisoning claims in the UK."
Another product tested by Gate Gourmet, a cheese and onion sandwich, had traces of staphylococcus aureus, according to internal documents.
This can cause food poisoning, usually through contaminated desserts, salads or mayonnaise. The symptoms usually appear between four and six hours after eating and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
Despite code-sharing agreements with BA, Qantas does not use Gate Gourmet for its in-flight catering out of London.
Virgin Atlantic inspectors found a series of hygiene failures at Gate Gourmet during a routine inspection last August, the month the internal report on E.coli was written.
Problems included dirty floors with puddles "attracting flies," blocked hand-washing basins and "numerous dirty cups, jugs, plates, bowls, glass tumblers.â€
A Virgin spokeswoman denied that poor hygiene had played a part in the company's decision to end its contract with Gate Gourmet in March.
But good hygiene at the airline's present supplier, Sky Chefs, was one reason for choosing it, she said. "Hygiene is very important in these types of contract."
HONOLULU (eTurboNews) -- Traces of potentially fatal E.coli bacteria were found in meals intended for British Airways passengers, The Australian reported, citing documents obtained by The Times reveal.
According to the documents, Gate Gourmet, the airline food company at the center of a bitter industrial dispute, tested several of its suppliers' products last year, The Australian reported.
An internal company document, Microbiological Information 2003-2004, identified eight meals between August 2003 and August last year that were infected with food-poisoning bacteria.
E.coli were found in a lemon-chicken salad and a meal of prawn with lemon herbs in August 2003; in a honey-glazed chicken and mustard mayonnaise sandwich in October 2003; in four other unnamed sandwiches in November 2003; and in a pesto butter steak fillet in March last year.
E.coli can cause diarrhea and kidney damage and trigger fatal infections.
A spokesman for Gate Gourmet said the products with E.coli had been identified before they reached the aircraft.
"Gate Gourmet takes its own microsamples of all incoming food from all suppliers before any food enters the food chain.
"Last September, Gate Gourmet discovered cases of E.coli from a supplier and immediately delisted the supplier and has not used the supplier since," he said.
"Gate Gourmet has no substantiated food-poisoning claims in the UK."
Another product tested by Gate Gourmet, a cheese and onion sandwich, had traces of staphylococcus aureus, according to internal documents.
This can cause food poisoning, usually through contaminated desserts, salads or mayonnaise. The symptoms usually appear between four and six hours after eating and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
Despite code-sharing agreements with BA, Qantas does not use Gate Gourmet for its in-flight catering out of London.
Virgin Atlantic inspectors found a series of hygiene failures at Gate Gourmet during a routine inspection last August, the month the internal report on E.coli was written.
Problems included dirty floors with puddles "attracting flies," blocked hand-washing basins and "numerous dirty cups, jugs, plates, bowls, glass tumblers.â€
A Virgin spokeswoman denied that poor hygiene had played a part in the company's decision to end its contract with Gate Gourmet in March.
But good hygiene at the airline's present supplier, Sky Chefs, was one reason for choosing it, she said. "Hygiene is very important in these types of contract."
