YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Detectives of Armenia’s investigative committee continue investigating the mass poisoning incident which happened in the winemaking plant of Tierras de Armenia in the province of Armavir. Around 100 employees of the plant were poisoned from eating lunch at the plant.

Lab tests discovered Staphylococcus aureus in samples taken from lunch-time snacks supplied by a food company, the investigative committee said.

Employees sought medical treatment about 2 hours after eating the snacks.

A total of 247 employees had lunch from 12:00 until 13:00 in the plant, and the supplied snacks contained chicken meat, cheese, potato and greens. The employees were also served cherries and water – supplied by the same food company.

Detectives took samples from the food, the cherry and the water, as well as from the plant of the food supplier itself. Agents failed to take samples from the chicken meat because there wasn’t any left.

Lab tests conducted by the food safety service showed that the water and the cherry were safe for consumption. But , Staphylococcus aureus, mesophil aerobics and facultative anaerobic bacteria, and  E. coli bacteria were discovered in the food samples.

Detectives are still waiting for lab tests from the national bureau of expertise.

Earlier on May 18, samples taken from the victims had showed Salmonella, the food safety service had said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan