Salmonella outbreak linked to pig ear dog treats Salmonella
San Diego, California – A popular Mediterranean restaurant in San Diego is under intense scrutiny after at least 98 people became ill, including nine who were hospitalized, following a salmonella outbreak traced to the Aladdin Mediterranean Café in the Clairemont neighborhood.
The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency confirmed that the outbreak occurred between April 25 and May 1, 2025, and impacted individuals ranging in age from 1 to 90 years old. More than 90 confirmed and probable cases of salmonella have been linked to the restaurant.
Aladdin Café owner Hamdi Abukhalaf issued a public apology on May 15, saying, “We feel very bad for the people that got sick. We are very sorry if we are involved in this directly or indirectly. However, I want people to be fair. We are humans. We have been in this business for 32 years.”
The source of the contamination has not yet been identified, but the health department is working closely with the restaurant to investigate food handling procedures and determine the cause. In the meantime, public health officials are urging anyone who dined at the café during the affected timeframe and has experienced symptoms to seek medical care and report their illness to the county.
Several legal actions have already been filed against the café. Attorney Ron Simon, representing over 50 alleged victims, stated: “We intend to use all the tools available to us in this litigation to get full and fair compensation for all of our clients, to find out how this outbreak happened, and to make sure that Aladdin keeps it from happening again.”
Victims have described severe symptoms. Everything from fever, to cold sweats, and splitting headaches.
Salmonella infections can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood), abdominal cramps, and fever, typically beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming contaminated food. Most cases resolve in about a week, but more severe outcomes can occur, especially in vulnerable populations.
The county health department has provided a hotline (858) 505-6814 and an email ([email protected]) for anyone impacted.
The investigation remains ongoing, with updates expected from the San Diego County Health Department in the coming days.
