Citation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 1959; 8(19): 2.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1959, (in public domain), Publisher U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Mr. Richard Dern, Sandusky County, Ohio, Department of Health, reported that 16 members of 3 families became ill following the consumption of ground beef to which a substance to preserve the red color of me meat had been added. Onset of illness occurred from 10 to 20 minutes after the ingestion of either meat loaf or chop suey prepared with me ground beef. in each individual the symptoms were very similar and consisted of marked flushing of the face and body, accompanied by a sensation of heat and itching. The symptoms lasted from a few minutes to an hour and were not associated with any other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and headache. The material contained between 11.7 and 14.2 percent niacin in 3 different samples and also contained from 6.2 to 7.1 percent ascorbic acid. A sample of the chop suey consumed by 1 family contained 17.5 mg. of niacin per ounce. The product involved in this out- break was manufactured by a company that supplied material involved in an outbreak in Nebraska about 2 years ago. However, the trade names were not the same.