Thread: NZ woman in Thailand food poisoning death

Originally Posted by billy the kid

learnt my lesson in laos only eat where the turn-over is constant never in a restaurant that has no customers

If she ate in either Anusarn Market or Kalare food court then that advice wouldn't help. Both those places are always packed out. I'm always suspicious of places that are popular with tourists, the customers are always new, there's hardly ever return trade, and by the time anybody gets seriously ill they're usually back home. There are some great tourist places but if I haven't been before then I treat them with caution. If it's just a local place then I do the same as you, don't go if there's no customers. That said, I've never been sick from any local food I've eaten in Asia, thankfully, although I did get a case of mild food poisoning from a KFC Fish burger at Big C on the superhighway in Chiang Mai.

Initital reports indicating toxic seaweed was to blame are now being discounted by the families, but investigations are ongoing.

from the earlier posted article.

Of note;
The references to excessive vomiting with no other symptoms have some others reminded of the May 2009 St Onge/Bergen Phi Phi mystery deaths amongst 5 others with similar symptoms in the Andaman region within a few months.

Doctors not sure if Thai seafood to blame | Stuff.co.nz


Doctors not sure if Thai seafood to blame



JO MOIR Last updated 05:00 10/02/2011


Supplied
HAPPIER TIMES: Victoria University friends from left, Amanda Eliason, Sarah Carter (deceased), and Emma Langlands at a Law Society Ball.






The Taranaki survivor of a horror meal in Thailand still does not know what it was that killed her friend and left her own life hanging in the balance.
Early reports said that eating toxic seaweed had cost Sarah Carter, 23, her life and made Kaponga's Amanda Eliason, 24, and a third travel companion, Emma Langlands, 23, violently ill.



But doctors are not convinced the seafood dish was to blame


and are hoping further tests will eventually determine the cause.
Speaking to the Taranaki Daily News from her hospital bed in northern Thailand last night, Ms Eliason said all three had eaten dinner at a food market late last week and began vomiting early the next morning.
"By 10.30am we called hotel reception and they said they would arrange for a doctor to come and see us.
"Sarah and Emma were put on an IV (intravenous drip) to rehydrate but the doctor couldn't find a vein for me, so I was given an injection instead."



She said the vomiting stopped for four hours but by late afternoon they were all ill again.


"After getting back in touch with the doctor we were told to go to hospital and by 1am on Friday morning we were all in hospital."
Ms Eliason eventually needed heart surgery to assist her recovery but doctors lost the battle to save Ms Carter.
Ms Langlands was not as badly affected by the poisoning.[assumption]
Ms Eliason said she was moved from intensive care to a general ward in the Chiang Mai Ram Hospital yesterday and was hopeful of being discharged in the next few days.
Her parents, Peter and Kay Eliason, are at her bedside, which she said had made a huge difference.
"I've had heaps of messages of support and I can't explain how lucky I've been with the care I've had in the hospital. The doctors and nurses have been here for me every step of the way.
"I just got moved into a general ward and will hopefully be with Emma, as we're likely to be discharged at the same time.
"Hopefully we'll both be on flights home next week."
Ms Eliason expects to undergo long-term check-ups when she comes home.
"The cardiologist over here said I am at about 95 per cent of my recovery at this stage, so I guess that's good news."
Ms Carter's mother and brother are expected to bring her body home this week. Funerals are planned in her home city of Auckland and in Wellington, where she worked.
Her devastated father, Richard Carter, paid tribute to his daughter, saying she had "touched the hearts of everyone she knew".
---



Horrid situation for a family, my sincerest condolences but for this discussion forum-



is there a connection?

Originally Posted by Looper

There is no medically proven ill effect of MSG.

MSG did not kill these tourists but that doesn't mean MSG is not harmful and even deadly. Read the book "Excitotoxins: the Taste that Kills" (about MSG and aspartame) by Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD, neurosurgeon, and see the 40 years of research proving MSG has many harmful effects. Or go to wwwDOTtruthinlableingDOTorg. In fact, the only research that shows MSG is good comes from the MSG industry. MSG affects the appetite control center of the brain and makes people eat more than they otherwise would---boosting stock prices of food companies. Note below how the FDA allows food companies to hide MSG under all sorts of code words including "flavors", "natural flavors", "hydrolyzed vegetable protein", "spices" etc etc.

If MSG is so safe then why is it hidden?

(note: below from truthinlabelingDOTorg)

Collected Reports of Adverse Reactions Caused by MSG

Ingestion of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is known to produce a variety of adverse reactions in some people. These reactions, although seemingly dissimilar, are no more diverse than reactions found as side effects of certain neurotrophic (neurological) drugs. We do not know why some people experience reactions and others do not. We do not know whether MSG "causes" the condition underlying the reaction, or whether the underlying condition is simply aggravated by the ingestion of MSG. We only know that the reactions listed below are sometimes caused or exacerbated by MSG.
All forms of MSG (free glutamic acid that occurs in food as a consequence of manufacture or fermentation) cause these reactions in MSG-sensitive people. That includes MSG found in a plant "growth enhancer" called AuxiGro, and MSG found in a variety of other fertilizers and fungicides that have been approved for spraying on growing crops, including crops identified as "organic."
Endocrine disorders, gross obesity, stunted growth, learning disabilities, and behavior disorders caused by MSG-induced damage to the endocrine systems of the very young; and glaucoma and retinal degeneration (possibly leading to blindness), are not classified as adverse reactions. When caused by MSG, their roots lie in the destruction of cells in the central nervous system, possibly years before they are first observed.

Research confirming the fact that MSG consumed by laboratory animals causes brain lesions in the area of the hypothalamus and subsequent endocrine disorders has been replicated many times. Research that has claimed to find that MSG is "safe" has always been seriously flawed; and has only been produced, directly or indirectly, by the glutamate industry.

Collected Reports of Adverse Reactions to MSG

Cardiac
Arrhythmia
Atrial fibrillation
Tachycardia
Rapid heartbeat
Palpitations
Slow heartbeat
Angina
Extreme rise or drop in blood pressure
Circulatory
Swelling
Gastrointestinal
Diarrhea
Nausea/vomiting
Stomach cramps
Irritable bowel
Swelling of hemorrhoids and/or anus area
Rectal bleeding
Bloating
Muscular
Flu-like achiness
Joint pain
Stiffness
Firing/twitching/fatigue
Neurological

Depression
Mood swings
Rage reactions
Migraine headache
Dizziness
Light-headedness
Loss of balance
Disorientation
Mental confusion
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Hyperactivity
Behavioral problems in children
Attention deficit disorders
Lethargy
Sleepiness
Insomnia
Numbness or paralysis
Seizures
Sciatica
Slurred speech
Chills and shakes
Shuddering
Visual
Blurred vision
Difficulty focusing
Pressure around eyes
Respiratory
Asthma
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Tightness in the chest
Runny nose
Sneezing
Urological / Genital
Bladder pain (with frequency)
Swelling of the prostate
Swelling of the vagina
Vaginal spotting
Frequent urination
Nocturia
Skin
Hives-may be both internal and external
Rash
Mouth lesions
Temporary tightness or partial paralysis
..(numbness or tingling) of the skin
Flushing
Extreme dryness of the mouth / thirst
Face swelling
Tongue swelling
Bags under eyes

Names of ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG)1

(Last updated June, 2010)

PRINT pdf

Everyone knows that some people get reactions after eating the food ingredient monosodium glutamate --reactions that include migraine headaches, upset stomach, fuzzy thinking, diarrhea, heart irregularities, asthma, and/or mood swings. What many don’t know, is that more than 40 different ingredients contain the chemical in monosodium glutamate (processed free glutamic acid) that causes these reactions. The following list of ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid has been compiled over the last 20 years from consumers’ reports of adverse reactions and information provided by manufacturers and food technologists.
Names of ingredients that always contain processed free glutamic acid:

Glutamic acid (E 620)2, Glutamate (E 620)
Monosodium glutamate (E 621)
Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)
Calcium glutamate (E 623)
Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)
Magnesium glutamate (E 625)
Natrium glutamate
Yeast extract
Anything “hydrolyzed”
Any “hydrolyzed protein”
Calcium caseinate, Sodium caseinate
Yeast food, Yeast nutrient
Autolyzed yeast
Gelatin
Textured protein
Vetsin
Ajinomoto

(1) Glutamic acid found in unadulterated protein does not cause adverse reactions. To cause adverse reactions, the glutamic acid must have been processed/manufactured or come from protein that has been fermented.

(2) E numbers are use in Europe in place of food additive names.
Names of ingredients that often contain or produce processed free glutamic acid:

Carrageenan (E 407)
Bouillon and broth
Stock
Whey protein
Whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
Maltodextrin
Citric acid, Citrate (E 330)
Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
Barley malt
Pectin (E 440)
Protease
Anything “enzyme modified”
Anything containing “enzymes”
Malt extract
Soy sauce
Soy sauce extract
Soy protein,
Soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Anything “protein fortified”
Anything “fermented”
Seasonings
The following are ingredients suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MSG-reaction triggers in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:

Corn starch
Corn syrup
Modified food starch
Lipolyzed butter fat
Dextrose
Rice syrup
Brown rice syrup
Milk powder
Reduced fat milk (skim; 1%; 2%)
most things low fat or no fat
anything Enriched
anything Vitamin enriched

The following work synergistically with MSG to enhance flavor. If they are present for flavoring, so is MSG.

Disodium 5’-guanylate (E 627) Disodium 5’-inosinate (E-631) Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (E 635)

Reminders

Low fat and no fat milk products often contain milk solids that contain MSG and many dairy products contain carrageenan, guar gum, and/or locust bean gum. Low fat and no fat versions of ice cream and cheese may not be as obvious as yogurt, milk, cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc., but they are not exceptions.

Protein powders contain glutamic acid, which, invariably, will be processed free glutamic acid (MSG). Individual amino acids are not always listed on labels of protein powders.

At present there is an FDA requirement to include the protein source when listing hydrolyzed protein products on labels of processed foods. Examples are hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed, corn protein. If a tomato, for example, were whole, it would be identified as a tomato. Calling an ingredient tomato protein indicates that the tomato has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is present.

Disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate are relatively expensive food additives that work synergistically with inexpensive MSG. Their use suggests that the product has MSG in it. They would probably not be used as food additives if there were no MSG present.

MSG reactions have been reported from soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, and cosmetics, where MSG is hidden in ingredients with names that include the words "hydrolyzed," "amino acids," and/or "protein." Most sun block creams and insect repellents also contain MSG.

Drinks, candy , and chewing gum are potential sources of hidden MSG and/or aspartame, neotame. and AminoSweet (the new name for aspartame). Aspartic acid, found in neotame, aspartame (NutraSweet), and AminoSweet, ordinarily causes MSG type reactions in MSG sensitive people. (It would appear that calling aspartame "AminoSweet" is industry's method of choice for hiding aspartame.) We have not seen Neotame used widely in the United States.

Aspartame will be found in some medications, including children's medications. For questions about the ingredients in pharmaceuticals, check with your pharmacist and/or read the product inserts for the names of “other” or “inert” ingredients.

Binders and fillers for medications, nutrients, and supplements, both prescription and non-prescription, enteral feeding materials, and some fluids administered intravenously in hospitals, may contain MSG.

According to the manufacturer, Varivax–Merck chicken pox vaccine (Varicella Virus Live), contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin, both of which contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) which causes brain lesions in young laboratory animals, and causes endocrine disturbances like OBESITY and REPRODUCTIVE disorders later in life. It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain some ingredient(s) that contains MSG.

Reactions to MSG are dose related, i.e., some people react to even very small amounts. MSG-induced reactions may occur immediately after ingestion or after as much as 48 hours. The time lapse between ingestion and reaction is typically the same each time for a particular individual who ingests an amount of MSG that exceeds his or her individual tolerance level.

Remember: By food industry definition, all MSG is "naturally occurring." "Natural" doesn't mean "safe." "Natural" only means that the ingredient started out in nature, like arsenic and hydrochloric acid.

__________________________________________________ _________________________________

Information provided by the Truth in Labeling Campaign

Web: MSG: a neurotoxic flavor enhancer Phone: 858-481-9333. e-mail: adandjack[at]aol.com.

Originally Posted by DrB0b

Any of you Chiang Mai guys heard anythiing about this from any Thais in Chiang Mai? I talked to a few friends of mine yesterday and they hadn't heard about this at all.

It hasn't been in the Thai news as far as I know. None of my Thai friends know about it, either, except the ones I have told. Perhaps because of no police report, it has not entered the Thai media, or is it just that they think it is best to cover it up because of the potential negative effect on tourism... I don't know. The hospital will not release info about their patients (which is a good thing). It has been on the TV news in Singapore though, a friend of mine who lives there mentioned it. Apparently they told all Singaporeans who travel to Chiang Mai to be cautious because of lacking food hygiene.