Laboratory investigations into the cause of multiple serious and fatal food poisoning incidents in Uganda during 2019

Simon Haughey; Olivier Chevallier; Claire McVey; Christopher Elliott

doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107648

Laboratory investigations into the cause of multiple serious and fatal food poisoning incidents in Uganda during 2019

Simon Haughey, Olivier Chevallier, Claire McVey, Christopher Elliott

School of Biological Sciences

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Abstract

During 2019 a series of food poisoning events and deaths occurred in Uganda due to an unknown causativeagent. In response the World Food Programme (WFP) initiated investigations into the incidents which includedcontacting expert laboratories to analyse the main suspect product known as Super Cereal. The laboratories useda broad gamut of their testing capabilities to determine the cause of the incidents. This included targeted andnon-targeted methodologies such as LC-MS/MS, QToF-MS and spectroscopic techniques coupled to chemometrics.The conclusion of the investigation was that the cause of the food poisoning was due to the presence ofthe Tropane alkaloids, atropine and scopolamine, in the Super Cereal. These alkaloids were found to be presentdue to the incorporation of Datura seeds during production of the Super Cereal. Furthermore, the data generatedshowed all outbreaks were caused by a single batch of the Super Cereal.

Original language	English
Number of pages	8
Journal	Food Control
Volume	121
Early online date	25 Sep 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107648
Publication status	Published - 01 Mar 2021

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Laboratory investigations into the cause of multiple serious and fatal food poisoning incidents in Uganda during 2019
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title = "Laboratory investigations into the cause of multiple serious and fatal food poisoning incidents in Uganda during 2019",

abstract = "During 2019 a series of food poisoning events and deaths occurred in Uganda due to an unknown causativeagent. In response the World Food Programme (WFP) initiated investigations into the incidents which includedcontacting expert laboratories to analyse the main suspect product known as Super Cereal. The laboratories useda broad gamut of their testing capabilities to determine the cause of the incidents. This included targeted andnon-targeted methodologies such as LC-MS/MS, QToF-MS and spectroscopic techniques coupled to chemometrics.The conclusion of the investigation was that the cause of the food poisoning was due to the presence ofthe Tropane alkaloids, atropine and scopolamine, in the Super Cereal. These alkaloids were found to be presentdue to the incorporation of Datura seeds during production of the Super Cereal. Furthermore, the data generatedshowed all outbreaks were caused by a single batch of the Super Cereal.",

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AU - Haughey, Simon

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AU - McVey, Claire

AU - Elliott, Christopher

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Y1 - 2021/3/1

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AB - During 2019 a series of food poisoning events and deaths occurred in Uganda due to an unknown causativeagent. In response the World Food Programme (WFP) initiated investigations into the incidents which includedcontacting expert laboratories to analyse the main suspect product known as Super Cereal. The laboratories useda broad gamut of their testing capabilities to determine the cause of the incidents. This included targeted andnon-targeted methodologies such as LC-MS/MS, QToF-MS and spectroscopic techniques coupled to chemometrics.The conclusion of the investigation was that the cause of the food poisoning was due to the presence ofthe Tropane alkaloids, atropine and scopolamine, in the Super Cereal. These alkaloids were found to be presentdue to the incorporation of Datura seeds during production of the Super Cereal. Furthermore, the data generatedshowed all outbreaks were caused by a single batch of the Super Cereal.

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M3 - Article

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JO - Food Control

JF - Food Control

SN - 0956-7135

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Laboratory investigations into the cause of multiple serious and fatal food poisoning incidents in Uganda during 2019

Abstract

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