Pizza store fails to meet sanitary requirements

CEBU, Philippines - The branch of Alberto’s Pizza along B. Rodriguez Street has voluntarily closed after inspection conducted by the city health department showed it failed to comply with some sanitary requirements.

The inspection was conducted yesterday after eight students from Asian College of Technology and their clinical instructor were rushed to the hospital due to severe LBM and vomiting after eating pizza at the pizza store.

The store voluntarily closed midday yesterday shortly before the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council could issue a closure order for the branch. The city health department itself wanted to recommend a 15-day moratorium for the store to fulfill the requirements.

The city will conduct another inspection in two weeks.

Inspection showed that the cabinets that served as storage for the store’s supplies had no locks and the preparation table did not have a stainless tabletop. It was also found out that of the store’s 30 employees, only four had health cards.

Carillo said the store’s owner, Donnie Quiampo, had agreed to let his employees — including those working in other branches — undergo a seminar on food handling and to be oriented with the city’s sanitary code.

Quiampo, however, reportedly remained apprehensive that it was his pizza that caused the poisoning. 

Receipts of the store reportedly showed that there were 1000 pizzas sold that day so it was reportedly somehow baffling why only a few suffered from food poisoning.

Carillo said the store was able to present a valid business permit but its sanitary permit reportedly has a questionable series code.

Edgar Alfanta, sanitation inspector, said they are now looking into the issuance of the sanitary permit, considering that the Bureau of Fire Protection, Office of the Building official, and City Health office allegedly have not approved for the store to operate. The sanitary permit is a pre-requisite for the issuance of a Mayor’s permit, which the store reportedly has.

“Ma-trace man nato kung asa ni gikan ilang permit,” Alfanta said.

Maria Kathleen Aya-ay, the nurse who interviewed the patients, said the patients ate around 1am at the B. Rodriguez Branch. After three hours, however, they started vomiting and suffered from LBM.

The victims were first brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center but were later transferred to the Cebu City Medical Center.

As of yesterday, Michelle Balbuena, Joy Lumambas and Louise Abuda were already discharged. The other patients include Jobelle Jimenez, Junerza Abellanosa, Retchel Tacoloy, Grace Mae Ann Maningo, Dejus Ratsen Rey and Mary Ann Maningo.

Initial results revealed that the patients ate Beef and Mushroom pizza.

A staff member of the branch earlier told The FREEMAN that the beef used for the pizza was already spoiled but it was reportedly already too late when they discovered it.

Carillo said the other branches of Alberto’s Pizza would also be inspected.

“We are imposing this to safeguard the public and to give chance to Alberto’s pizza to better serve their clientele,” Carillo said. — Jessica Ann Pareja and AJ de la Torre/JMO(THE FREEMAN)