An air carrier captain reported being ill after eating a crew meal in flight.

Attributes
ACN	792379
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	792379
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I felt great and the last meal I ate was about 14 hours earlier. The flight attendant brought our crew meals and I had the scrambled eggs. About 1 1/2 hours later; I asked my first officer if he felt ok after eating and he said he did. I told him I did not; I was feeling sick. After another 30 mins passed; I got sick. I believe the crew meal was bad and I got food poisoning. I threw up. I notified dispatch to tell scheduling that I needed to be replaced on arrival. I believe we have very poor food handling and preparation procedures. When the food is delivered it just sits on the counter until the crew arrives; then they put it either in the oven and let it situation until they cook it several hours later. No one knows how long it sat out and how long it was sitting out in the truck. Sometimes they put in the cold section of the cart (this part has dry ice in it). Choose foods that do not spoil easily and require that the flight attendant and caterer always keep the food cold enough to prevent the development of bacteria. Do not let them store it in the oven unless they intend on heating it immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT REPORTED BEING ILL AFTER EATING A CREW MEAL IN FLT.

Narrative: I FELT GREAT AND THE LAST MEAL I ATE WAS ABOUT 14 HRS EARLIER. THE FLT ATTENDANT BROUGHT OUR CREW MEALS AND I HAD THE SCRAMBLED EGGS. ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS LATER; I ASKED MY FO IF HE FELT OK AFTER EATING AND HE SAID HE DID. I TOLD HIM I DID NOT; I WAS FEELING SICK. AFTER ANOTHER 30 MINS PASSED; I GOT SICK. I BELIEVE THE CREW MEAL WAS BAD AND I GOT FOOD POISONING. I THREW UP. I NOTIFIED DISPATCH TO TELL SCHEDULING THAT I NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON ARR. I BELIEVE WE HAVE VERY POOR FOOD HANDLING AND PREPARATION PROCS. WHEN THE FOOD IS DELIVERED IT JUST SITS ON THE COUNTER UNTIL THE CREW ARRIVES; THEN THEY PUT IT EITHER IN THE OVEN AND LET IT SIT UNTIL THEY COOK IT SEVERAL HRS LATER. NO ONE KNOWS HOW LONG IT SAT OUT AND HOW LONG IT WAS SITTING OUT IN THE TRUCK. SOMETIMES THEY PUT IN THE COLD SECTION OF THE CART (THIS PART HAS DRY ICE IN IT). CHOOSE FOODS THAT DO NOT SPOIL EASILY AND REQUIRE THAT THE FLT ATTENDANT AND CATERER ALWAYS KEEP THE FOOD COLD ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BACTERIA. DO NOT LET THEM STORE IT IN THE OVEN UNLESS THEY INTEND ON HEATING IT IMMEDIATELY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.