Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay
What started out as a fun company function led to gastrointestinal disaster when food poisoning in Jessup Maryland prompted a “mini disaster alert” at local hospitals.
At least forty-six patients were transported to the hospital with food poisoning symptoms.
What caused it?
Here’s what we know about the mass food poisoning in Jessup Maryland so far.
Around 3:45pm on October 21, 2024, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services responded to multiple reports of food poisoning in Jessup Maryland at the 7700 block of Chesapeake Bay Court.
According to the press release, first responders were dispatched to the 7700 block of Chesapeake Bay Court “for the report of multiple patients with food poisoning after allegedly eating the same food.”
“Forty-six adult patients were evaluated and transported to multiple area hospitals; all patients were non-critical. Mutual aid was provided by Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties.”
Due to the number of patients, this prompted a “mini disaster alert” and subsequent protocols to handle the influx.
Both Maryland Department of Health and the Howard County Health Department were on location investigating the incident.
While original reports implicated food from NAFCO Wholesale Seafood Distributor, more information has become available.
NAFCO conducted their own investigation into the incident. According to their preliminary investigation, the food was not “produced” by the company.
It seems there is more to the story.
An unspecified food brought in by an employee was the likely source of the mass food poisoning in Jessup Maryland according to the Howard County Health Department.
NAFCO reports that an employee prepared food at home over the weekend and then serviced it to coworkers, who became sick.
The exact germ responsible for the mass food poisoning in Jessup Maryland was not indicated. However, there are a few possibilities that make sense based on the circumstances.
The biggest clue was the fast onset.
Some gastrointestinal germs like Campylobacter that cause symptoms like diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps, can take around two to five days for symptoms to arrive.
Escherichia coli, more famously called E. coli, can take around three to four days for symptoms to show. These include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (also often bloody), and vomiting. A serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may begin just as diarrheal symptoms are subsiding.
Cyclospora is another common foodborne germ that can be ruled out. Symptoms of this bug often involve watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. But these symptoms usually take around a week to form.
Listeria can also be ruled out. This illness can involve fever and flu-like symptoms, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures often takes about two weeks for symptoms to show up.
Something with a faster illness onset is the most likely source.
Staphylococcus aureus, or Staph food poisoning, could be a germ responsible for the mass food poisoning in Jessup Maryland due to symptom onset of between 30 minutes and eight hours.
This bad bug causes symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Vibrio is another contender for the food poisoning in Jessup Maryland source. This nasty bug causes watery diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, and/or chills within 24 hours of eating or drinking something contaminated with it.
The mass food poisoning in Jessup Maryland may have been caused by Clostridium perfringens. This germ causes diarrheal illness and stomach cramps that last for less than 24 hours. These symptoms can begin as soon as six to 24 hours of consuming something contaminated with the germ.
Another common germ that could be a likely cause due to the fast illness onset is Salmonella. This bad bug causes diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, stomach cramps, and/or vomiting within six hours to six days of consuming something contaminated with the germ.
Norovirus is another top contender. This viral infection can cause diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain within 12 to 24 hours of consuming a contaminated food. Fever, headache, and body aches are also possible with this illness.
Clostridium botulinum, more commonly known as botulism, can cause serious symptoms within 18 to 36 hours of consuming a contaminated food. Common symptoms involve difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and difficulty moving eyes. These symptoms usually begin in the head and move further down the body as the illness progresses.
Food poisoning can be spread in many different ways. The investigation into this mass food poisoning in Jessup Maryland has not yet identified the exact source of the illness, but several options are likely.
In some situations, food may have been contaminated prior to purchase. Food contamination at the manufacturer or supply chain level often results in a food recall. Though in some cases, the scope of the food poisoning is so small that it doesn’t prompt a recall.
Food can become contaminated during preparation. If raw foods potentially contaminated with foodborne germs come in contact with ready-to-eat foods that will not undergo a heat treatment step prior to eating, it can result in foodborne illness.
Raw foods should always be kept separate from ready-to-eat foods like lettuce, fruits, bread, and prepared food. Any utensil, tray, or plate used for raw foods should be washed before used for cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
Foods should be cooked to a safe internal temperature. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides a handy chart for this information.
| Product | Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time |
| Beef, Pork, Veal & Lamb Steaks, chops, roasts | 145 °F (62.8 °C) and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Ground Meats | 160 °F (71.1 °C) |
| Ground Poultry | 165 °F |
| Ham, fresh or smoked (uncooked) | 145 °F (62.8 °C) and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Fully Cooked Ham (to reheat) | Reheat cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140 °F (60 °C) and all others to 165 °F (73.9 °C). |
| All Poultry (breasts, whole bird, legs, thighs, wings, ground poultry, giblets, and stuffing) | 165 °F (73.9 °C) |
| Eggs | 160 °F (71.1 °C) |
| Fish & Shellfish | 145 °F (62.8 °C) |
| Leftovers | 165 °F (73.9 °C) |
| Casseroles | 165 °F (73.9 °C) |
In some cases, food can become contaminated if the food preparer is sick. Most foodborne germs are spread through fecal-oral route. That is just a polite way of saying that someone who is sick did not properly wash their hands before preparing or serving food. It only takes a small amount of infected feces (poop) to spread illness. Microscopic, trace amounts so small that you cannot detect it with your eyes or taste are enough to make you sick.
While the Howard County Health Department says that the investigation is ongoing in an effort to confirm the source of illness, the food poisoning in Jessup Maryland “mini disaster” appears to be over.
“At this time, we are not aware of any risk of further illnesses connected to this incident,” the Howard County Health Department stated in a Facebook post.
“We continue to believe that this is an isolated event,” the department said. “As we gather more information, we will provide updates.”
If you were impacted by food poisoning in Jessup Maryland and need advice, a food poisoning lawyer is a great place to start. The Lange Law Firm, PLLC can help!
An experienced food poisoning lawyer can answer your questions and go over the details of your situation. If you wish to file a legal claim, call The Lange Law Firm, PLLC at (833) 330-3663 for a free, no obligation consultation. Or send an email here to get started.
Many foodborne illness situations are time sensitive. So don’t wait. Call today.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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