The recent incident of mass poisoning at a wedding ceremony in Limassol gave us the opportunity to approach this issue and examine it in terms of various aspects of it, in conversation with the Food Scientist specializing in Food Microbiology, Dr. Frosso Economides Hadjilouka.
A graduate of Cornell University (USA) and with a long, distinguished career in key sectors such as public administration, specifically in the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, as well as in education, research and volunteer work. Dr. Hadjilouka has had a significant impact on the establishment of mandatory food standards and preventive food hygiene and safety (HACCP) systems.
She was president of the Council for the Registration of Food Scientists/Technologists and Dietitians, she is the director of the "Atsas" training center, a certified vocational training unit focused on sustainable agriculture and food safety. Lecturer at the Faculty of Science and Health of the University of Nicosia. In 2024, he has been honoured with the prestigious title of Fellow, by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) of the USA, with this recognition awarded to individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding career and significant contribution to the profession of food science and technology.
Referring to the mass poisoning incident, Dr. Hatzilouka explains why it was not a matter of "bad luck", pointing out that it is an incident of complete collapse of the company's critical control points (CCPs). In addition, it characterizes as a significant gap the non-existence of a Unified Food Control Agency in Cyprus. Among other things, it gives us guidelines to ensure preventive hygiene of food safety and, by extension, our health, when we cook at home and when we shop for our food. Daily habits that perhaps most people do not pay as much attention as they should, however ignorance or even negligence carry risks.
– The mass poisoning at an event in Limassol caused a stir among the general public, mainly for the quality of the food offered in such cases, due to the time now that such events and parties are more and more. What could have happened there and this result?
– On this issue, my intervention will be strictly scientific, reassuring for the public and a catapult for negligent practices. The incident in Limassol was not a matter of "bad luck", but of the complete collapse of the company's Critical Control Points (CCPs). The General Laboratory of the state detected double contamination and analyzing the behaviour of the two pathogenic microorganisms we can say the following:
∙ Salmonella in chicken a la crème is a pathogenic bacterium that attacks the intestine. Its presence in cooked chicken scientifically proves two possible scenarios: Either insufficient heat treatment (the chicken did not reach 74°C in its center), or cross-contamination after baking (e.g. cutting on surfaces where there was previously raw chicken or handling, contamination by staff).
∙ Bacillus cereus in rice and penne (spaghetti). This pathogenic bacterium forms resistant seeds. The seeds survive boiling. If the rice is allowed to cool slowly at room temperature (in the so-called "Danger Zone" of 4°C-60°C), the seeds multiply rapidly and produce heat-tolerant toxins. Even if we reheat the rice before serving, the toxin is not destroyed.
Therefore, I consider that the company failed in the implementation of the Preventive Food Safety Hygiene System HACCP-(Hazzard Analysis and Critical Control Points). In this particular case, there was a breach of Critical Control Points (CCPs):
∙ Failure in the Roasting CCP (Salmonella): The internal temperature of the chicken was not properly recorded and checked with a spike thermometer.
∙ Failure in the CCP Refrigeration/Preservation (Bacillus): The time the rice has been kept out of the refrigerator has been violated. Refrigeration of food after cooking should be done quickly (drop from 60°C to 10°C in less than 2 hours).
∙ Lack of Food Safety Culture: HACCP is not just a dossier of documents to control. It is daily adherence to the pre-requirements of HACCP GHP (Good Hygienic Practice)
– How important is human resources and their education/training in this very important area?
– Very important. Here I would say that the non-training of staff who are called upon to work, even occasionally, to meet the increased needs of mass catering, by a specialist scientist, is the weak link. Food safety is based on the human factor. Staff, especially the temporary ones who are often hired for large mass catering events, such as weddings, lack basic training in Good Health Practices.
– For example, a trained handler knows that we never touch the cooked chicken with the same hands or the same tools that we touched the raw (avoiding cross-contamination). Also, a trained worker knows that rice should never be left at room temperature. He knows that Bacillus (Bacillus cereus) is lurking and that the only way to stop the production of toxins is to cool down immediately.
– How does the "heatwave" factor, especially at this time when most social events are held in open spaces, even in the countryside, affect food safety?
– The high temperatures of the Cypriot summer act as a "natural incubator" for pathogenic bacteria. At ambient temperatures above 35°C-37°C, the salmonella population can double every 20-30 minutes. For this reason, mass catering businesses that transport food outdoors must have isothermal boxes or refrigerated vehicles with temperature recorders, keeping hot food strictly above 63°C for a certain period of time and cold ones below 4°C. The heat wave in Cyprus is well known, so HACCP must predict it.
– In such cases, what can consumers in general and guests do especially at such events?
– First of all, let me note that the General Chemical State Laboratory emphasizes that such mass incidents are rare in Cyprus, so there is no need to panic. However, consumers have the right to request evidence from companies that they are certified with HACCP or ISO 22000:2018 (Food Safety Management System) with inspections by certification companies. There are the invisible dangers. The guest cannot tell from the smell, taste, or appearance that the food is contaminated. And this is perhaps the most dangerous element in food microbiology. There is a huge difference between a food that has undergone spoilage (e.g. mould, sourness) and a food that is contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Salmonella and Bacillus cereus do not change the colour, smell, or taste of food. The chicken a la crème and rice may have been yummy and looked perfectly fresh, but they were full of pathogenic bacteria and toxins. The consumer is completely defenceless, which is why the responsibility falls solely on the operators and the effective implementation of the company's HACCP system. It is the responsibility of the Directorate to apply the necessary rules, both in the management of food and in the training of the staff. When education fails, the entire chain of safety and danger collapses, endangering the health of dozens of citizens.
– From your long career in this field and apart from the positive steps that have been taken, what do you consider to be the most important gap that still exists?
– I say with certainty that there is a gap in a Unified Food Control Agency (EFET). It is not possible for this Body not to exist today and for such important issues to be fragmented into various Ministries and Services. I will give the example of the EFET that operates in Greece. It is a very good and reliable tool and it only takes one visit to the website of EFET in Greece to see what information is recorded about food, unsuitable products, businesses, etc. Information and advice particularly useful for the consumer public.
