Yokohama, July 30: A food poisoning incident involving grilled eel, or unagi, has resulted in over 140 people falling ill and one fatality, according to Keikyu Department Store's president, Shinji Kaneko. The incident occurred after customers purchased lunch boxes containing eels from the store last week. The affected individuals experienced symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Tragically, one of the victims, a woman in her 90s, passed away.

In a press conference held on Monday, July 29, Kaneko expressed deep remorse, offering "our most sincere condolences" while bowing deeply. The contaminated products featured eel prepared in the traditional "kabayaki" style, which involves skewering, grilling, and basting the eel in a sweet, sticky mixture of soy sauce and mirin rice wine. Food Poisoning: Over 400 Hospitalised in Vietnam After Consuming Bread Sold by Local Eatery.

Food Poisoning in Japan Due to Grilled Eel

"We take what happened very seriously and feel deeply sorry about it. We will fully cooperate with investigations by public health authorities," Kaneko stated. The Tokyo-based restaurant Isesada, which operates a stand inside the department store, was responsible for cooking and selling the eel products directly.

Eel is a popular delicacy in Asia and has been consumed in Japan for thousands of years, with remains found in ancient tombs. However, a probe by health officials revealed the presence of staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the products sold at Keikyu Department Store. Shawarma Kills Girl in Tamil Nadu: Class Nine Student Dies After Eating Chicken Shawarma in Nammakkal.

Earlier in March this year, two people reportedly died, and over 100 were hospitalised after consuming red yeast rice dietary supplements from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. One person was reported by the Osaka-based drugmaker to have died from kidney disease after apparently taking the "beni-koji" supplements for around three years. A second death was reported to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare following a hearing with the company.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 30, 2024 06:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).