The L.A. County Department of Public Health is investigating a Mexican restaurant in Valencia following multiple reports of food poisoning arising from dining at the restaurant late last week.
According to Public Health’s media relations division, the department began receiving reports of “gastrointestinal symptoms” on Tuesday after people dined at Madre Oaxacan Restaurant & Mezcaleria.
“On Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division, received several reports of people experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming food at Madre Oaxacan Restaurant located at 27007 McBean Parkway, Valencia,” reads a statement from Becky Schlikerman, director of external communications for Public Health. “The department’s Outbreak Investigation and Evaluation Unit is investigating.”
As part of the investigation, Public Health sent out a survey asking those who dined at the restaurant to fill it out to “determine the nature and extent of this incident.” The survey can be found at tinyurl.com/2p9zvahs and any questions can be directed to the food safety unit at the acute communicable disease control division at 213-240-7941.
According to Patrick Moody, spokesman for Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, an urgent care physician said there was a noticeable uptick on Friday and Saturday in the number of people reporting stomach pain. He said 14 percent of patients those two days were complaining of symptoms related to food poisoning, while the average is closer to 9 percent.
Public Health last inspected the restaurant in March and gave it a score of 92, earning it an “A” rating, though with a couple of violations.
The report stated that pico de gallo, queso fresco, tamales and chile relleno were observed being stored in an inoperable cooler and were measured as being above the approved temperature of 41 degrees. Shellfish was also observed to be maintained in an unsafe manner.
None of the outstanding violations were observed in a follow-up inspection in April.
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