Cathay Pacific on Thursday said it was unlikely that meals provided by the carrier had caused food poisoning among passengers travelling on its Nepal-to-Hong Kong route.

At least 25 passengers who took two separate Cathay flights from Kathmandu to the SAR earlier in the week had fallen ill, reporting symptoms like vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and fever.

The Centre for Health Protection noted that it has conducted a preliminary investigation on the first flight that arrived on Tuesday, saying the chicken sandwiches that many of the sick passengers ate before the journey might be to blame.

Fifteen other passengers on the same route that arrived in the SAR early Thursday also reported similar symptoms, but it’s so far uncertain whether they too consumed chicken sandwiches before their flight.

As a precautionary measure, the CHP said it has collected samples from Cathay’s in-flight meals for testing.

The carrier, for its part, said it takes food safety and hygiene very seriously.

"At this stage, it appears that the likely source of any food contamination was outside the airline's operation. However, should this not be the case we will report the incident transparently and will take all necessary corrective actions," a spokesperson said.

Cathay stressed it has reminded its crew members to observe general food safety guidelines and maintain good personal hygiene, and is advising passengers to do the same.

"We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities throughout the investigation and provide necessary support to the affected passengers," the spokesperson added.

"The safety and well-being of our staff and passengers guide every decision we make. We sincerely apologise to the affected passengers for any inconvenience caused."