07.04.2025 17:00
In Kocaeli, E.T., one of the owners of the establishment where 648 people were poisoned by chicken döner, defended himself in his statement to the police by saying, "We were closed during Ramadan. I believe that the health issues experienced by the poisoned individuals may be due to the fact that they haven't eaten döner with toppings for a long time."
648 people who suffered from food poisoning in Kocaeli had eaten at the establishment owned by the arrested owners, whose statements were obtained by DHA. One of the suspects, K.Y. (36), said, "I don't know why the poisoning cases occurred," while E.T. (35) stated, "I have been in the industry for many years; I have never played with anyone's health. My sauce has brought a different flavor to this sector."
On April 1, 648 people who ate chicken döner at the establishment on Atatürk Street in the Güney neighborhood of Körfez district reported symptoms of nausea, fever, and vomiting to hospitals at different times. While 646 of them were discharged after interventions, it was reported that 2 people's treatments are still ongoing. The owners of the establishment, E.T. and K.Y., who were detained in the investigation, were arrested by the court they were brought to. The establishment was sealed, and it was determined that the sample taken and sent for testing did not comply with the Turkish Food Codex Microbiological Criteria Regulation.
"APPROXIMATELY 2 THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE SOLD CHICKEN DÖNER"
On the other hand, the statements of the two operators who were detained and arrested after their procedures were obtained. The operator K.Y., who stated that the establishment was closed during the holiday, said in his statement, "We pay attention to the rules. In the last 2 days, approximately 2 thousand people were sold chicken döner. I don't know why the poisoning cases occurred. This will be determined after the institutions' investigations. If the chicken is spoiled, it will show itself during the preparation stage. We do not sell spoiled products in our establishment."
"IT MAY BE DUE TO NOT EATING KATIK DÖNER"
The operator E.T. (35) stated in his statement that they always pay attention to hygiene rules, saying, "We sell our products with great care, from health conditions to consumption dates. There has never been such a thing until now. We were closed during Ramadan. I think the health problems of the poisoned individuals may be due to not eating katık döner for a long time. I have been in this sector for many years; I have never played with anyone's health. My Hatay-style sauce has brought a different taste and flavor to this sector. If the chicken were spoiled, it would have shown itself during the preparation stage; since I am involved in all stages, I would have understood that it was spoiled," he stated.
"WE HAVE NO CRITICAL PATIENTS"
In a phone statement to Demirören News Agency (DHA) regarding the individuals who applied to hospitals with suspected food poisoning, Provincial Health Director Yüksel Pehlevan said, "We currently have no critical patients. There are many applications made in a panic atmosphere, but we have no patients in intensive care. We have no critical patients at all."
A MEETING WAS HELD AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
Additionally, a meeting regarding the issue was held today at the Governor's Office under the chairmanship of Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş. The meeting was attended by district governors, Provincial Police Chief Faruk Karaduman, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Colonel Murat Bozkurt, Provincial Health Director Yüksel Pehlevan, Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Director Altan Çakır, mayors, and institutional officials. During the meeting, it was stated that inspections across the province have been intensified, and topics such as the ongoing work in the city, the intensification of inspections, the measures taken, case statistics in the province, the situation in hospitals, epidemic food factors, and the number of hospital applications were discussed and evaluated. Governor Aktaş emphasized that the institutions and teams that will conduct inspections should act in the interest of the citizens in all their inspections and that inspections should be intensified to prevent negative situations.