A festive Christmas dinner organized by Airbus Atlantic in France took a distressing turn, with reports indicating that approximately 700 employees fell ill following the event.
According to sources, health officials in France are actively investigating the situation after a significant portion of the 2,600 attendees at the Dec. 14 dinner exhibited symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhoea within a span of 24 to 48 hours post-event, as reported by The Guardian.
The dinner event, hosted at an on-site restaurant in Montoir-de-Bretagne, western France, featured a lavish menu. Attendees were treated to delicacies like lobster, scallops, gone gars, and tournedos, rounded off with desserts like hazelnut chocolate mousse and ice-cream logs.
Despite extensive efforts, French health authorities have yet to pinpoint the exact cause of this mass illness, leaving many baffled and concerned.
Describing her ordeal, an affected employee named Nolwenn shared her harrowing experience with the Ouest-France newspaper, stating, “The symptoms were agonizing. The pain and discomfort I felt were beyond comparison, even more intense than childbirth.”
In response to the situation, a representative from Airbus Atlantic offered insights, stating, “While none of the affected individuals were critically ill, we are taking this matter very seriously. The health authority is spearheading the investigation to ascertain the root cause of this unfortunate incident.”
Jean-Claude Iribarren, the Secretary of the Airbus Atlantic works committee, shed some light on the culinary preparations, mentioning, “The food for the event was sourced from our company’s canteen. We are cooperating fully with health authorities, providing samples of every dish served for meticulous analysis. The investigative process is anticipated to span several days.”
