The family of a girl left brain damaged after a bout of salmonella poisoning is suing Yum! Brands Australia for $10 million in damages, according to a story by Fox News. The family claims daughter Monika Samaan, then age 7, become severely ill in October 2005 after eating a Chicken Twister from a KFC in Villawood, Australia. The suit is being heard in New South Wales Supreme Court, with the family's attorney citing unsanitary practices at the store.
Australian Broadcasting Corp. News reports that KFC has issued a statement saying the company is sympathetic to the girl's plight but denies any responsibility.
In the United States, a customer is suing McDonald's in Milan, Ill., after two employees at that store were among 20 local residents to contract hepatitis A. Due to a lapse in the reporting of the illness to the county health department, thousands of the store's customers — including the plaintiff — were offered free innoculations as a preventative measure. The plaintiff hopes to garner enough participants to become a class action suit.
With preventing foodborne illness a continual concern for quick-service operations, Fastcasual.com, in partnership with Risk Services Corp., is hosting a webinar Aug. 4 from 2-3 p.m. The webinar will inform restaurant operators how they can protect themselves during a foodborne illness outbreak. The webinar will feature speaker Pam Ritz, president of Specialty Risk Management, and will moderated by Valerie Killifer, senior editor of Fastcasual.com.
