Birthday party ends in hospital

By Zhang Jun  |   2008-6-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

ABOUT 20 people suffered possible food poisoning after eating at a local restaurant on Saturday.

Officials of the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration have started investigating the patients' medical results and food quality at the Manjuelong Restaurant in Pudong.

"My family members felt sick right after eating," said Shi Changhua, whose family joined a banquet for a 60th birthday on Saturday night.

Most of the 25 people who attended the banquet at the Manjuelong Restaurant were sent to Shanghai Changzheng Hospital soon after dinner. All were receiving intravenous injections.

"It could be a food poisoning case," said Gu Zhenhua, an administration official. But he said it would take time to prove the cause of the illness.

Zhou Pingliang, a sales manager of the Manjuelong Restaurant, said: "Our restaurant will compensate the customers if the possible food poisoning is proved by the FDA."

The city reported a total of 326 people sick in 13 food-poisoning cases in 2007. Although the number dropped 64 percent from 2006, food safety remains a major concern for residents.