350 Workers Poisoned in Massive Food Poisoning Incident at Vietnamese Garment Manufacturer

In the midst of a company-organized lunch for over 3,290 workers at Shinwon Ebenezer Co., Ltd. on May 14, more than 350 employees were poisoned after consuming a meal of stir-fried chicken with lemongrass and chili, broccoli, green bean soup, and pickles. The first shift of workers was served at 11:30 a.m., followed by the second shift at 12:30 p.m. Symptoms of stomach pain and nausea began to emerge around 2:00 p.m., with cases escalating as the day progressed. By 5:00 p.m., a total of 351 workers had been affected, some requiring emergency treatment at local hospitals.

Workers from Shinwon Ebenezer Vietnam Co., Ltd. were among those taken to Lac Viet Vinh Yen Friendship Hospital, Vinh Phuc Provincial General Hospital, and Vinh Yen City Medical Center for care. The incident prompted an immediate response from various agencies, including the Department of Health, Police, Labor, and Industrial Park Management to investigate the cause of the food poisoning.

The Department of Health in Vinh Phuc province has collected samples of the food and water for testing in an effort to determine the source of contamination. Shinwon Ebenezer Co., Ltd., a Korean-owned garment manufacturing company located in Vinh Yen City, is now under scrutiny following this unfortunate incident that impacted its workers’ health and safety.