Tag Archives: zappos

Bacillus cereus fingered as agent in Zappos outbreak

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Bullitt County (KY) heath dept folks are quick with their information release. Investigators had been investigating a bunch of illnesses associated with staff of Zappos, an online retailer earlier this week and according to WAVE3 have identified B. cereus as the causitive agent.

Preliminary data indicated a food borne illness as the cause of the outbreak. After tests, bacillus cereus, was identified in clinical specimens. The Bullitt County Health Department was not able to identify the specific food ingested that caused the food-borne illness due to the lack of food samples available.

Public Health’s Division of Laboratory Services launched an investigation into the issue after 58 employees who worked the same shift became ill with a gastrointestinal illness early on Monday. At least 29 sought medical attention, none were hospitalized. In most affected employees, the illness has been self-limited and not serious.

It was previously reported that the 10pm meal was linked to the illnesses, not sure if it was diarrheal or the vomit type of B. cereus but with the reported on-set time some sort of a temperature-abused starchy dish could be the culprit.
 

Twenty-six of online retailer Zappos’ employees Ill with apparent food poisoning

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I used to be a mallrat (below, not exactly as shown) and roam shopping plazas looking for stuff like music and clothes, but with no real shopping agenda. The kind of guy that would piss off Ben Affleck. Two things have changed my shopping habits – online retailers and kids. I haven’t purchased much of anything (other than groceries) an actual store for a while. For the past 3 years I’ve done all of my christmas shopping online.

Earlier this year I bought some shoes from Zappos, a cool retailer who ships stuff for free. According to WDRB, Twenty-six Zappos Kentucky warehouse employees were taken to hospital, with an illness that is being reported as food poisoning.

Bullitt County Emergency Manager Director Mike Phillips says they were complaining of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea around 1 a.m. All of the affected employees worked in one section of the facility.

The Bullitt County Health Department is investigating the possibility this is a case of food poisoning, but they have not yet confirmed that.

Officials say there is no threat to other employees, and the facility is open and running as normal.

Update: According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, one of the perks of working for Zappos is that a free lunch is provided 362 days a year to the 2,600 full-time and 2,000 part-time employees.

[Bullitt] County health director Swannie Jett said everyone who was hospitalized was later released.

Jett said the illness likely stemmed from food eaten in the cafeteria inside the company’s main distribution warehouse, one of three warehouses it occupies in Shepherdsville [KY].

The health department is looking at meals served in the lunchroom between Friday and Sunday night.
Health officials began interviewing each of the ill workers late Monday afternoon and are awaiting lab results from area hospitals to determine the cause.

The company threw away the remaining food, which came from Masterson’s Catering, Jett said.
SueannaMasterson, one of the owners of the catering business, said a total of 3,200 people — Zappos workers and Masterson’s staff — ate the same meal when caterers prepared it for various Sunday shifts.

“We feel very confident in our practices here regarding food handling,” Masterson said.

Masterson said the company hired an executive chef specifically for the new Zappos contract and workers have been “more vigilant” about food preparation because it is a new contract.