Lab tests have proved that 26 girl students fell ill after a visit to the Kalba Ladies Club recently not because of the food they ate from a restaurant on the club premises. The food items served by Marasi Restaurant at the club on April 19 when the students of Al Sedrah School for Girls visited the club for taking part in an event were safe. The authorities now suspect the food eaten by the students from a cafeteria in Khorfakkan on their way to the club that day might be the culprit. Ahmed Al Hora, Director of the Kalba Municipality, said the inspectors who visited the cafeteria later had found several violations of health and hygiene conditions. He, however, did not say what further action has been taken against the cafeteria. The students had foods like macroni with béchamel, cupcake, burger and nutella from Marasi Restaurant at the club. They all fell ill later with symptoms of food poisoning and were admitted to Kalba Hospital. The authorities concerned, including the Sharjah Municipality and the police, initially suspected the food from Marasi Restaurant caused the symptoms. The report released by the police and the Sharjah Municipality revealed that all samples of food served that day at the restaurant were free of Salmonella and other types of bacteria that cause food contamination. Amna Al Shanassi, chairperson of the Sharjah Ladies Club in the central region, said: “The club management is very concerned about maintaining health, hygiene and cleanliness in the club, which provides social services for the community members in the area.” The final test reports issued on May 8 revealed that all types of food consumed that particular day in Marasi restaurant were clean and free of bacteria. More than 17 samples of food were taken and tested at the municipality’s food laboratory and Sharjah Forensic Laboratory. Al Hora said the inspectors of the Sharjah Municipality visited the restaurant the same day and took samples for testing. The inspectors also inspected the restaurant to ensure that its management was following the rules and regulations, and health conditions. All restaurant staff carried the mandatory health cards and wore the uniforms as per the hygiene conditions laid down by the civic body. Obaid Al Kindi, Director-General of Kalba Hospital, said the 26 students who approached the hospital had loose motion and stomachache and were vomiting. They patients were all provided with necessary treatment and discharged.