Cronut burger vendor shut down at CNE
34 people show symptoms of food-borne illness
TORONTO The food vendor at the Canadian National Exhibition, responsible for this year’s international headline-garnering Cronut burger, was shut down Tuesday night after about 34 people displayed symptoms of food-borne gastrointestinal illness.
While Toronto Public Health has not confirmed the Cronut burger is behind the outbreak, Epic Burgers and Waffles is the “focus” of their investigation and the only vendor closed for inspection, a spokesperson said.
“Toronto Public Health food safety inspectors are currently there doing our own investigation,” spokesperson Kris Scheuer said Wednesday morning. “We don’t yet know until we do the food samples and talk to staff … to know if (the Cronut burger) is the cause of the illness.”
Dr. Lisa Berger, the city’s associate medical officer of health, said Toronto Public Health is only looking at Epic Burger right now, but can’t say where the investigation will go.
“This is only the very beginning of our investigation,” she said Wednesday afternoon.
At least two people said they became sick after eating the deep-fried doughnut-croissant hybrid stuffed with meat and cheese and topped with maple bacon jam.
“Definitely not feeling sorry for myself, though last night wasn’t pleasant,” said Anupa Mistry, one of those who was ill. “I think I’m going to need to rest up a bit, exhausted from minimal sleep last night.” Mistry said on Twitter that the only other thing she had at the CNE besides the burger was a Coke.
Mistry had initially posted a positive review of the Cronut burger on Twitter, but later tweeted, “Take back what I said … Don’t do it.”
Jim Chan, manager at Toronto Public Health, said the people affected ate at about noon and reported feeling ill at about 6 p.m.
It will take about 48 to 72 hours for tests results.
Chan said while they are only probing Epic Burgers and Waffles at the moment, they have had reports of those sick eating at other establishments.
The public health department said no employees were ill.