Valencia Wedding Nightmare: 89 Guests Poisoned After Eating Traditional Easter Dessert

A wedding in Valencia ended in mass food poisoning — 89 people were affected, seven of whom required hospitalisation. As reported by the publication Las Provincias, citing sources in the regional Ministry of Health, the poisoning occurred during a banquet held on 21 February, though the full details have only recently come to light.

According to medical professionals, the cause of the salmonellosis (an acute intestinal infection affecting the gastrointestinal tract) among the victims may have been torrijas, a traditional Spanish dessert typically prepared during Easter. It is suspected that one of the ingredients in the dessert was contaminated.

The first symptoms — weakness, vomiting, and diarrhoea — appeared among the guests just a few hours after the celebration. For the majority, the poisoning was mild, and they recovered within a few days; however, some required medical intervention and hospitalisation.

The victims are not limited to Valencia. Guests had travelled to the wedding from various cities across Spain, including Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, and Cadiz.

Specialists from the regional Ministry of Health have inspected the banquet venue and taken samples of all the dishes served during the wedding to precisely identify the product that triggered the outbreak.

Salmonellosis is a common intestinal infection most often caused by contaminated products such as eggs, meat, or dairy. While the illness typically resolves within 4–7 days, this particular case has drawn significant attention due to the high number of people affected.