A popular café, Food Gallery, in central Kutaisi, Georgia, has been shut down following a mass food poisoning incident that sparked public concern, the National Food Agency has announced.
In a post on Facebook, the agency said it suspended the café’s operations after 36 people reported symptoms of food poisoning, Caliber.Az reports.
The National Centre for Disease Control claimed all affected customers had ordered dishes from the café’s “diet menu” via delivery, including pilaf, mushroom omelettes, a salad cocktail, and tiramisu dessert.
Inspectors who arrived at the site found serious violations of sanitary standards.
As a result, the business operator was not only suspended but also fined.
Authorities ordered laboratory testing of equipment and staff, as well as full disinfection of the premises.
Samples of the seized food products have been sent for microbiological analysis, with results expected to be published in the coming days.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
