SA Health warns consumers and eateries not to eat raw bean sprouts following surge in salmonella cases

CONSUMERS and restaurant and cafe owners have been warned not to eat or serve raw bean sprouts because of a significant surge in salmonella cases and mystery over the source of the contamination.

Salmonella warning: Bean sprout contamination source unknown

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CONSUMERS and restaurant and cafe owners have been warned not to eat or serve raw bean sprouts because of a significant surge in salmonella cases and mystery over the source of the contamination.

SA Health on Thursday revealed 108 salmonella cases had been reported in South Australia in the past 11 days.

A total of 43 South Australians have been admitted to hospital with the salmonella “saintpaul” strain since late last year.

Usually, the state records just 15 to 20 cases annually.

Since the start of December, SA Health has been notified of 233 cases of this particular salmonella strain.

The chief public health officer at SA Health, Professor Paddy Phillips, said ongoing investigations had indicated the consumption of raw bean sprouts was likely contributing to the increase in cases.

Prof Phillips said testing which “came through” yesterday morning alerted the department to the link.

“All available epidemiological evidence is suggesting a link between the raw bean sprouts and increased cases,” he said.

But Prof Phillips emphasised bean sprouts had not been recalled from supermarket and shop shelves — instead SA Health was advising consumers to cook all bean sprouts and avoid eating them raw. The exact source of the salmonella was not yet known.

“What happens with the bean sprouts is the seeds come from Queensland and then they’re sprouted in factories and packaged up (in South Australia) for further packing in other stores or sold to larger retailers already packaged,” Prof Phillips said.

“We are working closely with the producers, suppliers and handlers of the sprouts and (we) are continuing to investigate.

“(We’re) doing forensic investigation of the factories to work out where in the processing the salmonella might be.”

SA Health urged food retailers, including restaurants and cafes, not to serve the popular raw Asian garnish until further notice.

Prof Phillips said salmonella infection symptoms “could be severe” and include fever, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, headache, stomach cramps and nausea and vomiting.

“Hopefully we’ll see a decline in cases,” he said.

Last year, there was a total of 1272 cases of all types of salmonella notified to SA Health.

The latest salmonella scare comes after dozens of people across Australia were struck down with the salmonella an-atum strain earlier this year from eating prepacked leafy greens — including rocket, spinach and mixed leaves.

The lettuce, supplied by Tripod Farmers in Victoria and sold at Coles and Woolworths among other companies, was recalled from shelves across the nation in February.