Restaurant that sickened 36 fails second health inspection
October 10, 2009
NOOR JAVED
STAFF REPORTER
A popular Chinese restaurant in Scarborough best known for its dim sum and Peking duck will not reopen in time for Saturday's regular afternoon rush.
The eatery failed to pass a second Toronto Public Health inspection for cleanliness and food safety following a severe salmonella outbreak.
Health officials inspected Ruby Chinese Restaurant at 1571 Sandhurst Circle, near Finch Ave. E. and McCowan Rd., Friday afternoon, two days after it was first shut down for numerous food safety violations that sickened 36 people with salmonella and may have played a role in the death of a senior.
Despite having almost two days to clean the premises, the restaurant failed to "meet the requirements needed to be met to reopen," said Howard Shapiro, Toronto's associate medical officer of health.
The restaurant will remain closed until the next inspection takes place sometime this weekend.
On Friday, the doors to the restaurant were locked and a manager stood at the entrance, blocking the sign ordering the restaurant closed by the city's medical officer of health. The only sign visible read, "Sorry we (are) closed today due to renovation."
The manager refused to answer questions, and calls to the restaurant weren't returned.
The restaurant was shut down after two health inspectors arrived during the lunchtime rush and found foods were not protected from contamination, raw meat wasn't kept at the correct temperature, and utensils and cooking surfaces were not properly cleaned.
There was also a cockroach infestation and the floor was "dirtier than we would find acceptable," Shapiro said. He added that the health unit is looking at chicken or duck as being "responsible" for the contamination.
A family of nine, who ate at the restaurant Sept. 15, became severely ill after eating Peking duck wrapped in lettuce. They think it was the raw vegetables that made them ill.
"Seven of them ate the lettuce," said Emily Law of Markham, who heard about the incident involving relatives of her in-laws.
"And those seven got really sick the next day," she said.
The family members went to their family doctor, who ran tests, and found that they had food poisoning linked to salmonella. All the family members have since recovered.
Officials have said little about the senior, who died shortly after eating at the restaurant. While salmonella hasn't been confirmed in his death, officials say they are sure he ate there, suffered from a diarrheal infection as a result and died of dehydration soon after.
Public health officials said 22 cases have been confirmed to be salmonella and 15 are probable. They believe there are many other cases that have not yet been reported. The victims are mostly from the Greater Toronto Area, York Region, and one from Windsor.
Sara Ang, a regular customer of the restaurant, said she was surprised to hear that it had been shut.
"I eat here regularly and I have never gotten sick," she said. "It's very popular. Everyone eats there. It has always had a very good reputation."
Toronto Star
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