A study has revealed that 43 passengers fell ill due to food poisoning after consuming in-flight meals on a Cathay Pacific Airlines flight from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu to Hong Kong.
Reports indicate that 10 passengers on the January 8 flight and 18 passengers on the January 9 flight initially reported symptoms of food poisoning. Following these incidents, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) convened a meeting on January 12 under the leadership of its Director General, Sanjeev Kumar Karn, forming a four-member investigation committee led by Senior Food Officer Suman Dhital.
The investigation revealed that the contaminated food was supplied by Cathay Pacific Catering Services (HK) Limited and Gate 11 Catering at Hong Kong International Airport.
While Cathay Pacific initially claimed only 28 passengers were affected, the committee’s findings confirmed that 43 individuals suffered from food poisoning. Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP), under the Department of Health, also confirmed that the food served during the flights was responsible for the poisoning.
The investigation thoroughly examined various aspects, including the food supply chain, production quality certification, storage conditions, meal preparation process, and serving methods. It scrutinized manufacturing dates, menu storage temperatures, and the overall condition of the meals provided to passengers.
Senior Food Research Officer Suman Dhital stated, “The study confirmed that Cathay Pacific Airlines served contaminated food to its passengers.”
