Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Development of an Electrochemical DNA Biosensor to Detect a Foodborne Pathogen
Published on: June 3, 2018
An outbreak of food poisoning associated with restaurant-made mayonnaise in Abha, Saudi Arabia
K S al-Ahmadi1, H E el Bushra, A S al-Zahrani
1Saudi Arabian Field Epidemiology Training Program, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
In May 1996, an outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred among customers who bought dinner from a restaurant that specialised in fried chicken in Abha city, south-west Saudi Arabia. The median incubation period was 10 hours (range: 3 to 27 hours). Of the 10 food items served, only mayonnaise (RR 2.52; 95% CI 1.71-3.73) and minced garlic (RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.02-1.41) were associated with cases. Salmonella enterica was isolated from 124 (84%) of the 159 persons with symptoms of food poisoning, and 91 (73%) were serogroup Enteritidis, phage type B 14. Mayonnaise was prepared in the restaurant using a regular blender. Minced garlic was prepared with the same blender immediately after making the mayonnaise. Unsafe storage of the mayonnaise at room temperature for a median of 6 hours could have resulted in overgrowth of bacteria and a high infective dose of bacteria per serving.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Spoilage of Food
Sources of Food Contamination
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
Investigation of Disease Outbreaks
Bacterial Gastroenteritis
Cholera

