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This was the wedding of a relative of my co-coordinator for a local campaign in '02. Her mother father and daughter attended, as did her sister's kids. Thankfully no one was killed and the youngest of her's and her sisters kids didn't drink any punch.

They were originally told this was cyanide, now they are saying it was sodium nitrite. The first thing we thought when they said cyanide was terrorism, now it's a bit more murky. They are checking the supply chain to track it down.

People & Places

Wedding's punch had contaminant

By BRIANNA BLAKE
Register Staff Writer
03/11/2003

Toxic levels of a common color additive or preservative used in meat and fish were found in punch served at a weekend wedding in Ankeny at which dozens became ill, state health department officials said Monday.

The levels of sodium nitrite were found to be "off the charts," said disease investigator Dr. Tom Boo. The levels caused a rare form of blood poisoning that sent about 60 guests to emergency rooms Saturday.

"If they would've drank more, and didn't get treated in time, it could've killed them," Boo said after he reviewed test results from the State Hygienic Lab in Des Moines.

Twenty-five children and 31 adults who attended Erin and Mark Davis' wedding reception at Ankeny Baptist Church were treated for methemoglobinemia, which cuts off the flow of oxygen in the blood to cause headaches, low blood pressure, dizziness, vomiting and shortness of breath.

Neither health department officials nor Ankeny police would name the caterer hired for the wedding. An attendant of the bride, Stephanie Ong, said the punch was provided by someone other than the food caterer.

All of those treated have been released and are expected to recover with no long-term health effects, officials said.

It is still unknown how and where the sodium nitrite got into the punch. Officials think the drink was contaminated accidentally.