MAITLAND, Fla. — Two state agencies are now investigating how more than 50 people got food poisoning, following a catered office party in Maitland on Wednesday.
Fire rescue units from Orange County, Seminole County and Winter Park were called to the Maitland Colannades building on Lucien Way Wednesday afternoon when dozens of people started feeling ill, following the holiday luncheon.
The Health Department told Channel 9 that it is conducting a "trace back" investigation to determine the source of the outbreak and what caused the people to get sick.
Trace back by talking to the patients, talking to the business, the caterer, talking to everyone involved to see what the source of this may be. It can take weeks. It can take upwards of a month to determine all the different pieces, because, again, not exactly sure what the cause is," said Dain Weister of the Orange County Health Department.
Authorities said some 25 people were taken by ambulance to hospitals in Orange and Seminole counties. Others either did not require hospital treatment or went to doctor's offices or hospitals on their own.
The event was catered at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. About 700 people work in the building.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation said it will be investigating the caterer, Kitchen Divas, of Sanford, to figure out whether there were any health violations and if the agency needs to take any action.
The Department of Health's investigation involves testing patients to find out whether the illness was related to bacteria, a virus or some sort of toxin.
"The bottom line is not only to find out what the source is, so if there is something in the food itself, that's going to be prepared, we want to find out what the source is so nobody else gets sick," said Weister.
Kitchen Divas would not comment.
WFTV
