Mass Food Poisoning Reported at Bengaluru Office Canteen

Food Poisoning Outbreak Hits Bengaluru Office

A total of 97 employees of a private company in north Bengaluru were hospitalized earlier this week after falling ill with symptoms consistent with food poisoning, following meals served at the firm's office canteen. The employees, working at a facility in Devanahalli, had idli and vada for breakfast and rice with sambar for lunch on Tuesday. Many began experiencing abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea by the evening, with several requiring hospitalisation by Wednesday morning.

The affected employees were admitted to two private hospitals and treated with intravenous fluids. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported, according to Bengaluru Rural District Health Officer Dr Krishna Reddy. Samples of leftover food have been collected and sent for laboratory testing, with results awaited. The case is being treated as suspected food poisoning, with an investigation underway into food preparation, storage and hygiene practices at the canteen.

Health officials have noted that fermented foods such as idli batter can be vulnerable to contamination, especially during summer months, if not handled or stored correctly. Authorities have not yet identified the precise cause of the illness, and are awaiting test reports to determine whether bacterial contamination or other factors were involved.

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This incident comes just months after a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) flagged widespread contamination in the city's vegetable supply. In February, a CPCB study found that 26% of vegetable samples collected from markets and agricultural belts supplying Bengaluru contained lead levels far exceeding permissible limits. The study analysed 72 vegetable samples sourced from areas including Nelamangala, Kolar and Chikkaballapura, as well as major retail outlets such as HOPCOMS and APMC markets.

The study found that brinjals contained up to 20 times the permissible lead level, while little gourd and flat beans showed contamination levels 18 times and nine times above the limit, respectively. Dr Kaushik Subramanian, a specialist physician quoted in the report, warned that heavy metal contamination acts as a "slow poison," posing long-term risks rather than causing immediate symptoms, particularly for children and young people.