More than 200 workers from two companies in Putuo District suffered food poisoning yesterday morning and were sent to hospitals.

The patients were in a stable condition and no one was seriously poisoned, said officials from the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration. They were still investigating the case yesterday afternoon.

All the workers from Shanghai Elee Logistics Co Ltd and Schneider Shanghai Industrial Control Co Ltd ate packed meals delivered by Shanghai Fangjie Fast Food Co Ltd prepared the previous night.

At midnight, workers began to vomit, had diarrhea, as well as upset stomachs.

They were sent to either Shanghai Liqun Hospital or Nanxiang Hospital.

All the patients in Liqun Hospital were released by yesterday afternoon.

Officials from the food and drug administration said they will announce the cause of the food poisoning as soon as it has been determined.

A new regulation on food delivery companies takes effect next month. Among the criteria, it requires all ingredients must be purchased from licensed suppliers.

(Shanghai Daily July 14, 2005)