Japan Air Lines food poisoning incident

Food poisoning incident on a Japan Air Lines flight in 1975

A Japan Airlines Boeing 747-200B, similar to the aircraft involved in the incident

The Japan Air Lines food poisoning incident occurred on February 3, 1975, when a significant number of passengers and crew aboard a Japan Airlines flight from Anchorage, Alaska to Copenhagen, Denmark suffered from food poisoning. This incident is notable for being one of the largest mass food poisoning cases in aviation history.

Background

Japan Airlines Flight 404 was a scheduled international flight from Tokyo, Japan, to London, United Kingdom, with stopovers in Anchorage and Copenhagen. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747, a wide-body airliner capable of carrying a large number of passengers over long distances.

The Incident

During the flight from Anchorage to Copenhagen, passengers and crew were served a meal that included a dish of chicken salad. Shortly after consuming the meal, many individuals began to experience symptoms of food poisoning, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The symptoms were severe enough to incapacitate a significant portion of the passengers and crew.

Investigation

An investigation into the incident revealed that the chicken salad served on the flight was contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. The contamination was traced back to improper food handling procedures at the catering facility in Anchorage.

Impact

The food poisoning incident affected 197 passengers and crew members, making it one of the largest outbreaks of its kind on a commercial flight. The incident highlighted the importance of strict food safety protocols in airline catering services.

Aftermath

Following the incident, Japan Airlines and other airlines reviewed and improved their food safety standards to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The incident also led to increased awareness and regulatory oversight of airline catering operations.

Related pages

• Food safety
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Aviation safety
• Japan Airlines