At least 150 people were hospitalised for high fever, stomach aches, diarrhoea, and vomiting after eating baguettes bought at the Madam Phuong Banh My Hoi An shop at 2B Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An City on the morning of September 11.
The local health department the same day came to take samples of the bread and sandwich-fillings including pate, sliced meat, herbs, lettuce, pickled vegetables, and egg sauce to send to the Nha Trang's Pasteur Institute for testing.
The institute announced the results on September 21 which showed that six samples came positive with the Salmonella spp and Bacillus cereus bacteria.
The Salmonella spp and Bacillus cereus bacteria were both found in the sliced pork, herbs, lettuces, onion, and cucumber served that day.
Director of Quang Nam Provincial Health Department, Mai Van Muoi, announced on Thursday morning that all 150 victims of the food poisoning have recovered and been discharged from hospital.
The owner of the Madam Phuong Banh My Hoi An shop, Truong Thi Phuong, has just sent an apology to her customers. On the shop fanpage and on her Facebook account, Phuong admitted lax management in checking and preparing the foods. She promised to be more careful in all steps in the future and expressed the hope that people would accept her apology and give her another chance to continue serving the best sandwiches to local people and visitors.
"We've come to visit and said sorry to the customers in the hospitals," Phuong said. "We're also co-operating with local authorities in finding the cause of the food poisoning. It was a big lesson for us."
The shop has been temporarily closed while local authorities are carrying out an investigation.
Madam Phuong Banh My Hoi An is one of the most famous baguette shops in Hoi An City and has been open for 34 years.
