THE HEAD Chef of a town centre restaurant which unwittingly served up infected mussels has expressed his sadness at the incident.
It follows the news that the Environmental Health department are investigating the possibility that MUST in Touchwood could have served up a seafood dish, unaware that it carried an infection that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).
The investigation started after a Shirley teenager, Victoria Parkinson, right, became seriously ill after tucking into mussels at the Chinese restaurant on January 30.
Just hours later the 18-year-old started vomiting, developed double vision and lost the feeling in one side of her face.
Now MUST chef, Kevin Ly, insists there was nothing the restaurant could do to prevent it.
"I am really sorry that this happened on our premises, it's one of those things that no-one wants to happen and it's very sad.
"We are still looking into the mussels and are helping the Environmental Health officers with their enquries by giving them the contacts where we get the mussels from. That way they will be able to work back down the chain," said Mr Ly.
PSP is a rare illness caused by a harmful toxin found in contaminated shellfish and cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing. There is no medication available for the condition, which has a 12 per cent fatality rate.
Victoria's concerned father, Richard, said: "We've had calls from consultants in London and America because this poisoning is so rare. There are just no case studies anywhere."
Ian Keagle, Head of Environmental Health, confirmed that they had been in contact with the Touchwood restaurant.
