Crowne Plaza Terrigal faces Gosford Local Court over charges of unsafe food handling
A well-known Central Coast hotel has denied preparing food laced with salmonella during a conference which prosecutors claim caused several people to fall ill.
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A popular Central Coast hotel has admitted to failing to comply with several food safety standards but will fight charges they were responsible for food laced with salmonella.
Terrigal Pacific Hotel Pty Ltd, trading as Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific, has denied it was responsible for a number of guests who fell ill after attending a conference more than two years ago.
The Department of Primary Industries, which is prosecuting the case, alleges that several guests attending the Aboriginal Languages Trust between November 28 and 30 in 2022 became ill after consuming food which allegedly contained salmonella.
The food sold at the time included ocean trout, chicken thigh, salmon fillet, lamb, couscous and satay skewers.
Court documents said that Department of Primary Industries representatives inspected the hotel on December 3, 2022 and uncovered a number of issues.
The hotel faced Gosford Local Court on Thursday where guilty pleas were entered to four charges of failing to comply with food safety standards.
Crowne Plaza admitted to the failures, which included having uncovered flooring that was broken, water pooling on the floor. two visible holes in a wall which failed to prevent potential pest entry, and having dirt and visible matter on top of a power switch under a bench fridge and on the underside of benches.
They also pleaded guilty to having dust and visible matter on the ceiling of the kitchen around the air-conditioning vent.
However, the hotel entered not guilty pleas to three charges of failing to comply with the food standards code and will fight the claims at a hearing later this year.
Court documents stated that prosecutors allege Crowne Plaza had failed to store hard cheese at a temperature below five degrees, stored fruit and vegetables in meat tabs which resulted in cross contamination, and also failed to maintain a cool room door stopper where lacerations in the material could cause bacteria to become trapped and contaminate food.
Crowne Plaza was represented by HBA legal, which entered pleas on behalf of their client.
The court heard the Department of Primary Industries would need to prepare a brief of evidence which would compile about 600 pages and there would be about 10 witnesses.
A brief of evidence is expected to be served by March 6 and a defence is expected to be filed by March 27.
The matter will return to court in March.
The Crowne Plaza is a 4.5-star accommodation facing Terrigal Beach which includes an outdoor pool and panoramic views of the sea.
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