More than 140 preschool children at 10 South Florida daycare centers stricken with vomiting and diarrhea consumed bad food. The Florida Department of Health has found that the children likely ate contaminated ham or turkey.
Healthy Children Catering, a Hialeah-based catering company, was faulted in a report released Wednesday, saying the students were likely exposed to staph bacteria due to faulty food preparation.
The outbreak, which affected 117 children at eight Miami-Dade daycare centers and 32 at two Broward County schools, took place early November. The Department of Health has been investigating the matter since.
In total, food poisoning affected 149 kids ages 1 to 10, and 17 were hospitalized. Six daycare staff members were also affected.
Inspection found that the caterer prepared food incorrectly and neglected to monitor time and temperature controls. The report concluded the violations created an environment where staph could multiply and produce enough toxins to make someone ill.
Following the outbreak, the caterer was ordered to stop selling rice and beans, pork, turkey sandwiches and cooked vegetables that were not stored and monitored at safe temperatures.
Healthy Children Catering supplies meals to preschools as part of a program for low-income students.