Regulator names causes of poisoning after reception at the French Embassy in Yerevan
03.09.2026,
20:52
The Food Safety Inspectorate of Armenia reported the results of inspections conducted following an incident of poisoning among participants at a reception at the French Embassy in Yerevan on July 14.
YEREVAN, September 3. /ARKA/. The Food Safety Inspectorate of Armenia reported the results of inspections conducted following an incident of poisoning among participants at a reception at the French Embassy in Yerevan on July 14.
According to the agency, after a meal served in the embassy courtyard, 12 participants were hospitalized with an acute intestinal infection.
The inspectorate has taken steps to determine at what stage the problems may have arisen.
Specifically, inspections were conducted in the kitchen of Armenia Hotel Complex CJSC at the Armenia Marriott Hotel.
Samples of factory-packaged chicken fillets produced by Araks Poultry Farm CJSC on July 24, 2026, locally produced pork, smoked salmon fillets produced by Food Republic LLC on June 25, 2026, and smoked trout fillets in factory packaging on July 8, 2026, were collected for laboratory testing.
According to laboratory tests, the trout fillets did not meet legal requirements for mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms, as well as coliform bacteria. The chicken fillets did not meet requirements for pathogenic salmonella.
Instructions were issued for the batches to ban sale, recall them from the market, and destroy or dispose of the products.
Furthermore, food products that the Inspectorate designated as expired were found in the kitchen. The report specifically listed Pano toast bread (manufactured on June 24, 2026, with a shelf life of 4 days), Pano lavash (manufactured on April 14, with a shelf life of 7 days), rye flour (November 7, with a shelf life of one year), and Parma bread (no expiration date indicated).
The identified hazardous food products were destroyed on site.
Based on the laboratory testing results and to ensure traceability, control measures were also carried out at Araks Poultry Farm CJSC and Food Republic LLC. Samples of the aforementioned products were collected and sent for laboratory testing. According to the Inspectorate, no discrepancies were found.
Emergency at a Reception at the French Embassy
The poisoning of several guests at a reception held to celebrate France's National Holiday became known several days after the event.
On July 17, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Armenian Ministry of Health informed the Food Safety Inspectorate that 10 people had sought medical attention with a diagnosis of acute intestinal infection. An epidemiological investigation revealed that all of the infected individuals had attended a reception at the embassy.
Catering services for the event were provided by the Armenia Marriott. In a statement to ARKA, the hotel stated that it had launched an internal investigation into the incident. The hotel stated that it was one of the caterers for the event, and samples of food prepared in the hotel kitchen had been sent for laboratory testing.
The Inspectorate previously noted that by the time the relevant information was received, the batches of food used for the reception had been completely consumed and were no longer available for testing.
According to the agency, after a meal served in the embassy courtyard, 12 participants were hospitalized with an acute intestinal infection.
The inspectorate has taken steps to determine at what stage the problems may have arisen.
Specifically, inspections were conducted in the kitchen of Armenia Hotel Complex CJSC at the Armenia Marriott Hotel.
Samples of factory-packaged chicken fillets produced by Araks Poultry Farm CJSC on July 24, 2026, locally produced pork, smoked salmon fillets produced by Food Republic LLC on June 25, 2026, and smoked trout fillets in factory packaging on July 8, 2026, were collected for laboratory testing.
According to laboratory tests, the trout fillets did not meet legal requirements for mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms, as well as coliform bacteria. The chicken fillets did not meet requirements for pathogenic salmonella.
Instructions were issued for the batches to ban sale, recall them from the market, and destroy or dispose of the products.
Furthermore, food products that the Inspectorate designated as expired were found in the kitchen. The report specifically listed Pano toast bread (manufactured on June 24, 2026, with a shelf life of 4 days), Pano lavash (manufactured on April 14, with a shelf life of 7 days), rye flour (November 7, with a shelf life of one year), and Parma bread (no expiration date indicated).
The identified hazardous food products were destroyed on site.
Based on the laboratory testing results and to ensure traceability, control measures were also carried out at Araks Poultry Farm CJSC and Food Republic LLC. Samples of the aforementioned products were collected and sent for laboratory testing. According to the Inspectorate, no discrepancies were found.
Emergency at a Reception at the French Embassy
The poisoning of several guests at a reception held to celebrate France's National Holiday became known several days after the event.
On July 17, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Armenian Ministry of Health informed the Food Safety Inspectorate that 10 people had sought medical attention with a diagnosis of acute intestinal infection. An epidemiological investigation revealed that all of the infected individuals had attended a reception at the embassy.
Catering services for the event were provided by the Armenia Marriott. In a statement to ARKA, the hotel stated that it had launched an internal investigation into the incident. The hotel stated that it was one of the caterers for the event, and samples of food prepared in the hotel kitchen had been sent for laboratory testing.
The Inspectorate previously noted that by the time the relevant information was received, the batches of food used for the reception had been completely consumed and were no longer available for testing.
