Food Poisoning Hits 82 Inmates at Lancaster Jail

Eighty-two inmates at a Los Angeles County jail facility in Lancaster suffered mild food poisoning after eating breakfast Sunday, authorities said.

Officials at the Mira Loma facility said seven juvenile inmates complaining of acute cramps were treated at Antelope Medical Center and returned to jail. The remaining inmates, including about 42 women and 33 other juveniles, experienced cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. They were treated in the jail infirmary. None was considered in serious condition.

Mira Loma houses 900 men, 600 women and 200 male juveniles, but none of the men became ill.

While all inmates had the same menu--scrambled eggs, chipped beef and cheese, stewed apples, oatmeal and coffee--the men’s meal was prepared slightly later than the food eaten by the women and juveniles, Sheriff’s Lt. Lee Ballenger said.

Ballenger said jail officials believe the food poisoning was accidental.