Latest news with #AladdinCafé
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Over 60 customers sue San Diego Mediterranean restaurant over salmonella outbreak
Over 60 customers sue San Diego Mediterranean restaurant over salmonella outbreak The Aladdin Mediterranean Café location temporarily closed while San Diego County health officials investigated, but it reopened on May 13. Show Caption Hide Caption Food safety tips and tools for cooking at home Time and temperature are the most important factors to keep in mind when it comes to food safety. Problem Solved More than 60 people are suing a Mediterranean restaurant in San Diego for allegedly causing a recent salmonella outbreak. The Aladdin Mediterranean Café voluntarily closed as San Diego County health officials investigated following accusations that multiple customers became ill with salmonella poisoning after eating "specific food items," according to the three lawsuits obtained by USA TODAY. The restaurant reopened on May 13, the court document says. Ron Simon, a food safety attorney, told USA TODAY on May 21 that he and his firm represent 65 victims in the outbreak, including 10 who were hospitalized. The suing customers said they went to Aladdin Mediterranean Café on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard between April 25 and May 1, the lawsuits allege. In a May 14 news release, Simon said two of the people he's representing ate hummus, chicken shawarma and beef shawarma wraps at the restaurant on April 26, and by the next day, "both had become ill with the with the symptoms of salmonellosis, including diarrhea, cramping, fever, chills, abdominal pain, and headaches." According to the lawsuit, at least 89 people who said they dined at Aladdin Mediterranean Café on April 25 and May 1 have become ill with symptoms of salmonella poisoning. So far, up to a dozen of the reporting customers have been hospitalized, the court document says. Aladdin Café says salmonella source could not be determined In a statement shared May 12 on its Facebook, the restaurant acknowledged the closure and the health officials' investigation, but said the source of the outbreak could not be determined. "We want to emphasize that our customers' health and safety is our number one priority," the statement reads. "In the past 32 years that we have been in business, we have always maintained an A grade from the health department. We take cleanliness very seriously and understand the responsibility that comes with preparing and serving food to our community." USA TODAY contacted Aladdin Mediterranean Café on May 21 but has not received a response. What did San Diego County health officials find at Aladdin Café? According to the lawsuits, San Diego County health officials conducted thorough inspections at the then-closed Aladdin Mediterranean Café and collected food samples and interviewed staff members. So far, the exact source of the contamination has yet to be identified, the lawsuit says. Aladdin Café has accrued as many as seven health code violations for failing to properly control holding temperatures for its food in recent years, the lawsuit states. At this moment, health officials urge anyone who dined at Aladdin Café between April 25 and May 1 and is experiencing salmonellosis to seek medical attention immediately. "We intend to use all the tools available to us in this litigation to get full and fair compensation for all of our clients, to find out how this outbreak happened, and to make sure that Aladdin keeps it from happening again," Simon said in a statement. This litigation does not accuse the Aladdin Hillcrest on Vermont Street of wrongdoing, as a different owner operates it. What are the symptoms of salmonella poisoning? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of salmonella infection include:
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
California Restaurant Owner 'Very Sorry' After 98 People Get Sick
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The owner of a San Diego café issued a public apology after at least 98 people got sick, including nine who were hospitalized, according to local reports. More than 90 confirmed and probable cases of salmonella were identified by county health officials. All had dined at Aladdin Café, also known as Aladdin Mediterranean Café, in the Clairemont area. Newsweek has contacted Aladdin Cafe and Ron Simon, the lawyer representing the victims suing the restaurant, out of regular working hours via email for comment. Why It Matters Salmonella infections can be serious, especially for vulnerable populations, and can result in hospitalizations and long-term effects. The legal filings and the number of affected consumers have placed renewed scrutiny on food handling practices and local enforcement in the U.S. food industry. The Aladdin Cafe in San Diego. The Aladdin Cafe in San Diego. Aladdin Cafe What To Know Multiple legal actions have been filed, including lawsuits on behalf of two individuals and a representation for more than 50 other alleged victims. These legal actions allege negligence in food preparation and failure to adhere to public health standards at Aladdin Café. The café's owner said he was "very sorry" if the restaurant was involved "directly or indirectly," which occurred between April 25 and May 1, 2025. After voluntarily shutting on May 1, the restaurant has since reopened as of May 12, according to the outlet SFGATE. Officials from the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency confirmed that nine people were hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, and that victims were aged between 1 and 90. The health department began investigating the outbreak after receiving multiple illness reports linked to the café, and worked with the establishment to identify the source and mitigate further risk. The source of the Salmonella outbreak has not yet been identified, according to San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reports. Public health officials advised anyone who dined at Aladdin Café within the affected time frame and developed symptoms to seek medical attention and to report their illness to county authorities. What People Are Saying Ron Simon, managing partner at Ron Simon & Associates, the law firm representing the victims suing Aladdin Mediterranean Café, said in a statement, according to FOX 5: "We intend to use all the tools available to us in this litigation to get full and fair compensation for all of our clients, to find out how this outbreak happened, and to make sure that Aladdin keeps it from happening again." Aladdin Cafe owner Hamdi Abukhalaf said to reporters on May 15: "I want to say to people, 'Please don't rush into judgment. We feel very bad for the people that got sick. We are very sorry if we are involved in this directly or indirectly.' However, I want people to be fair. We are humans. We have been in this business for 32 years. We have maintained high quality and the top cleanliness procedures." Charles McLaughlin, a victim, said to ABC 10: "I got a fever, sweating through shirts, I had to put a towel on my bed. Constantly changing that out. A splitting headache." Nubia Munguia, another victim, said to ABC 10: "From throwing up, to nausea, and diarrhea. I felt so ill. I went to the emergency room, and they admitted me right away because of how dangerous my blood pressure was. I felt like I was dying." San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency said in a statement: "Salmonella causes an infection called Salmonellosis. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea that might have blood or mucous, abdominal cramps and fever. Symptoms generally begin 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Illness from salmonella can last 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment." It added: "People who dined at Aladdin Mediterranean Café between April 25 and May 1, 2025 and feel ill with any of the symptoms listed should contact a health care provider as needed. People who are still ill or have recovered after dining at Aladdin Mediterranean Café can report their illness to DEHQ by calling (858) 505-6814 or through this form if on a desktop or laptop device and by emailing it to fhdepi@ What Happens Next The San Diego County Health Department is expected to provide further updates as the investigation concludes.
