90 fall ill in Shanghai after eating lunch

SHANGHAI - Nearly 90 employees of a Dutch company in Shanghai fell ill and their lips and fingers “turned purple” after eating lunch Tuesday, officials said.

Initial investigation into the incident blamed it on nitrite poisoning, officials with the Food and Drug Supervision Administration said.

The affected people were employees of the Hunter Douglas Architectural Products (China) Co. Ltd., Xinhua reported.

They were taken to hospital and their conditions were reported to be stable, officials said.