Long Beach Market Sold Cake from Cockroach-Infested Bakery: Dozens Become Ill

More than 30 people who ate “Rosca de Reyes” distributed by a Santa Ana bakery fell ill, public health officials said today.

“Rosca de Reyes” is a fruit cake traditionally eaten on Jan. 6, known on religious calendars as Three Kings Day or Epiphany.

Cholula’s Bakery, which sold the cakes at its location on East 17th Street and distributed them countywide, was closed and its permit suspended because of coackroach infestation, according to ABC News. Investigators with the Orange County Health Care Agency continue to try to isolate the cause of the illnesses.

The “Rosca de Reyes” was delivered Monday and Tuesday to 10 stores from San Juan Capistrano to Long Beach, according to the Health Care Agency. Retailers and consumers were told to throw out any Rosca de Reyes from Cholula’s.

Last night, Santa Ana police started getting word of multiple patients with stomach aches from Western Medical Center in Anaheim and St. Joseph Hospital in Orange

“The common denominator is they ate Rosca de Reyes,” Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Most of the calls came from St. Joseph’s, and investigators later found four victims at Western Medical Center, Bertagna said.

“I had never felt so terrified, like I didn’t even know what was going on with me,” said Ireri Hinojosa told CBS. “I was hallucinating... I almost felt like I was not in my body.”

The Orange County Fire Authority was notified when a family of four fell ill about 10:30 p.m., OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

A man in his mid 40s, a teenager daughter and son, and a 4-year-old boy reported feeling nauseated and anxious as if they were under the influence of a drug, he said, adding that all four were taken to Western Medical Center in Anaheim.

The latest report of illness came from a man treated by paramedics about 9 a.m. today, Concialdi said.

The “Rosca de Reyes” was sold at Cholula’s Bakery and the following market:

-- El Nopal Mercado, 31451 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano;

-- La Bodega Ranch, 918 N. Glassell St., Orange;

-- La Bodega Ranch, 1700 N. Placentia Ave., Fullerton;

-- Santa Ana Marquet, 1216 W. 1st St., Santa Ana;

-- Tony’s Liquor, 32141 Alipaz St., San Juan Capistrano;

-- Gonzalez Marquet, 235 W. La Jolla St., Placentia;

-- Taqueria Mocorito Restaurant, 1076 N. State College Blvd., Anaheim;

-- Taco Boy, 725 N. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim;

-- Brianna’s Ice Cream, 2107 E. Ball Road, Anaheim;

-- La Bodega Ranch Market, 4945 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach.

• City News Service
• Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons