Two adults and 28 children were taken to the hospital Saturday after falling ill during a regional Science Olympiad regional competition at Florida Gateway College, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office said.
The incident was reported Saturday afternoon as middle school students were wrapping up the competitions in the regional contest, officials said.
It is believed the individuals affected were suffering from food poisoning, the sheriff's office said.
According to the Florida Science Olympiad website, participants were scheduled to eat lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Florida Department of Health was investigating the illnesses.
Health Department spokesman Mark Lander said the affected people were expected to recover quickly.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.