The owner of Asadero de Pollos Arrocha has blamed the salmonella poisoning that led Public Health to halt the activity of his Playa Honda establishment "on the egg" they used "to make tortillas". "This can happen to anyone", said Victorino Arrocha, who acknowledged that another outbreak was detected in his establishment in 2017.
"In 2017 the same thing happened to me. And it only takes it happening once for it to happen twice," Arrocha pointed out, who wanted to "clean up his image" after what happened. "Because we've been around for 40 years, although I have a loyal clientele, because the other time it happened to me people kept coming because they know these things can happen," said the owner of Pollos Arrocha, who nevertheless acknowledges that he is "affected" by what happened. "Because when something like this happens, everyone gets a little carried away," he lamented.
Regarding the origin of the outbreak, although he has not yet received confirmation from Sanidad, Victorino Arrocha insisted that he is "sure" it is from the egg, as he assures that it happened to them two years ago. "The eggs come in containers because Sanidad no longer allows cartons and one of those containers came bad, I made a couple of tortillas and that's what has affected," he said.
"They said if it was from the chicken or the croquettes, but it's nothing from that, it's from the egg we use for the tortilla, although I'm waiting for them to confirm it. But I know because one of my employees took half a tortilla that day and the same thing happened to her," insisted the owner of Pollos Arrocha, specifying that in the case of this worker "she was not admitted, she was discharged".
He says they will be "more careful" and will demand "more control"
Although he has placed the responsibility on the supplier, even assuring that it is the same one they had when the 2017 poisoning occurred, he pointed out that "until it is known that there is" he does not want to "harm anyone" either.
"I wouldn't like them to harm me if I were in their place either, although they should keep track of that issue, because if they demand control from me, I also have to demand from my suppliers that they bring the products in good condition," he said.
And, according to Victorino Arrocha, it is not easy for them to detect if the eggs are in poor condition. "It's complicated and it can happen to anyone. Look, I've been making tortillas for years and it's happened to me twice," said the owner of Pollos Arrocha, who nevertheless stated that now they will be "more careful" and that they will demand "a little more control" from the supplier. "At least no one is seriously ill and no one has been admitted according to what they have told me", Arrocha concluded.
