At Oceanogràfic València, Irene stood out as one of seventy applicants invited to sample the dishes for the eleventh season of MasterChef. Among them, a surprising forty-four ended up intoxicated. Irene recalled needing emergency care and receiving an injection to control vomiting, noting a weight loss of roughly five kilos in three days. She hinted at questionable hygiene, suggesting cold chains can be compromised during the production and filming timeline. Other participants echoed similar concerns about cleanliness and handling, with one observer remarking that a brief five-minute segment had shown shrimp being left to sun-dry, casting doubt on safety practices.
The outdoor tasting segment featuring Irene as a diner aired on TVE last Sunday. In the competition, contestants were split into two teams, red and blue, and had to present a menu designed by the head chef. The event, held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Europe’s largest aquarium, situated within the City of Arts and Sciences complex, aimed to showcase Oceanogràfic’s work in Valencia.
Valencian mollusks appeared among the dishes prepared by the applicants in Valencia. The menu included coriander-and-seaweed romesco with pesto, paired with a Valencian clótxina, a smaller bivalve related to mussels and primarily cultivated around Valencia. The second course featured a Thai sea bass preparation and a Japanese-inspired cheese and seaweed cake for dessert.
No clarity on casting procedures
As the diners await an explanation, Irene’s online thread has sparked a debate about whether cold-chain or processing controls were maintained. One participant, Joaquín, first joined MasterChef about five years ago. After progressing through the initial rounds, he reached the cast where contestants were asked to bring a home-cooked dish to the city in which they were competing. Seville was his destination.
He described submissions totaling around eighty plates, with varieties ranging from fish soups to seafood dishes. He recalled cooking a beef Wellington in Malaga at dawn, noting that the judges did not taste it until mid-afternoon. The memory stretched back months, he said, and suggested a long, uninterrupted period without refrigeration that day.
Many contestants hailed from different parts of Andalusia and were expected to report in by nine in the morning after an early start, but plating largely didn’t begin until after one in the afternoon. Heat sources or cold storage beyond makeshift arrangements such as beach coolers or thermal containers were inconsistent, which raised questions about safety during the judging window.
One participant, Noelia, worried aloud about potential contaminated ingredients and the risk of using eggs or fish that had not been properly treated. She mentioned tasting anchovies that had not been frozen before use, a scenario that underscored the hazards of late-stage food handling and the potential for foodborne illness.
Another contestant, echoed by Noelia, remarked that some plates were not kept cold when they should have been, with a lack of dedicated refrigeration leading to doubts about overall safety. A typical home-style plastic container was used by some, while others relied on makeshift refrigeration arrangements.
Concerns over cooling practices
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) reaffirmed to a national newspaper that perishable foods must be kept refrigerated until ready to cook or eat. Ready-to-eat items, in particular, should not be stored at room temperature; if they are, the risk of microbial growth increases. The guidance emphasized that cooked foods should be prepared and served promptly, or kept at appropriate temperatures through refrigeration, freezing, or holding at 63°C or higher to prevent bacterial growth.
AESAN added that cross-contamination must be avoided, and separate utensils should be used for raw and cooked items. This is especially important when multiple products share kitchen space during a live event or filming schedule.
Indeed, several episodes showed contestants handling food with unwashed utensils or using the same tools on different products, occasionally leading to complaints from judges. The producers and cast were reminded that clean practices are essential, even in high-pressure environments.
Attempts to reach the production company for a formal statement about the hygiene measures on the show were unsuccessful beyond a brief reply noting that company personnel are in touch through Oceanogràfic. The response also indicated that the series has remained a standout in its eleven-year run on MasterChef Spain, with ongoing attention to food safety and traceability at all stages of production.
Public health authorities conducted the necessary follow-up after the incident, and the investigation shifted to the production company’s Madrid headquarters. As of the latest updates, the exact cause of the stomach symptoms affecting forty-four people remains undetermined, with authorities continuing to review the events and safety protocols involved in the taping and serving process.