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Should Food Poisoning Be A Crime?

Benjamin Orset, a 14-year-old French teenager died from food poisoning in January after eating two hamburgers at a Quick burger restaurant. Now the manager faces involuntary homicide charges.

Bad Bacteria



According to authorities, Staphylococcus bacteria was found in the teenager's gastric juices and on five of the eight employees present on the day Orset ate at the restaurant. It was also found on the tiled floor of the food wrapping stand.

According to the a report by the Center for Disease Control, chicken, turkey and other poultry accounted for 17 percent of the food-borne illness outbreaks reported to the government. Beef and leafy vegetables were close behind, at 16 percent and 14 percent respectively.

Who's To Blame?



The manager of the Quick restaurant where the boy contacted the bacteria as well as supervisor of three other Quick outlets in the region were all fired.

Authorities ordered the Avignon restaurant close January 22. It reopened on February 11 but has since closed again to do work on the building, authorities say.

Do you think restaurants should be held liable for food poisoning deaths?

Read More:



  • Food Poinsoning : Is it a crime? (Slashfood)
  • Food Poisoning brings criminal charges (UPI)


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