A total of 500 Turkish soldiers were hospitalized late Saturday in western Manisa following complaints of nausea and vomiting, that province’s governor said.

"After the dinner meal, 300 Turkish soldiers were brought to hospitals and 200 soldiers were placed under observation at sickroom inside of the commandship," Mustafa Hakan Guvencer said.

Guvencer said it is too early to talk about poisoning.

"We cannot make an official statement now about the reason of the disease and diagnosis, we are waiting for laboratory results," Guvencer added.

He said Defense Minister Fikri Isik and Commander of Turkish Land Forces Gen. Zeki Colak would go to Manisa.

The governor’s office later issued a written statement that said the soldiers are not in life-threatening conditions and some had been already discharged from hospitals.

Police early Sunday arrested 19 employees, including executives, of the catering company that provides food to the military at the post where the incident occurred, police source told Anadolu Agency.