Coles and Woolworths caught up in toxic lettuce recall

ROB McKibbon thought he was dying as his body reacted to salmonella-laced salad. The crisis could still get worse.

LATEST: HEALTH authorities are still trying to narrow down the cause of a salmonella outbreak linked to toxic salad, as the number of victims hits 54 in Victoria.

Investigators are trying to work out if contaminated water, fertiliser or another cause has triggered the outbreak, as health authorities hold urgent talks to understand how best to contain the problem.

Coles and Woolworths have recalled salad products throughout the country.

The outbreak, which originated at Tripod Farmers’ Bacchus Marsh farm, spreads to other states and food delivery companies.

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RELATED: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SALMONELLA SCARE

Scroll down to read the full list of affected brands

Coles and Woolworths have stopped taking supplies from Tripod “indefinitely”.

The number of salmonella cases in Victoria has now doubled to 54 as two schools confirmed they had used the recalled lettuce.

The Herald Sun understands two of the sickest patients, both from Victoria, spent several days in hospital after eating lettuce grown by Tripod Farmers, one of Australia’s biggest growers.

The outbreak sparked the voluntary recall of at least 20 products at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets nationwide.

The Department of Health is bracing for an onslaught of calls from worried salad lovers and warn it could be the “tip of the iceberg”.

Some of the recalled lettuce, before being taken from the shelves. Picture: AAP

Shoppers set to ditch pre-packaged salads

NERVOUS shoppers are expected to ditch bagged salads and turn to old-fashioned whole iceberg lettuce and other substitutes, retail observers say.

Some growers unconnected to the crisis are already suffering reduced prepacked salad orders from supermarkets, greengrocers and restaurants in a domino effect on the industry, a trade association revealed.

“I have been contacted by half a dozen growers who have taken a hit around the country,” Produce Marketing Association Australia New Zealand technology manager Richard Bennett said.

Retail industry insiders said prepacked salad sales had boomed in the past five years, rising 10 to 20 per cent annually.

“It’s the biggest growing salad category,” one source said.

“All precut salads, fruit and vegetables would be worth at least $10 million a week in sales on average.”

Consumer group Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey predicted some shoppers would seek other options such as whole lettuces, at least in the short term.

“Clearly this has been a major food safety failure, and there is no doubt consumers will think twice before buying.

“You might even see more people grow their own.

“We saw the fallout from the frozen berries hepatitis A scare last year. Sales dropped dramatically in the immediate aftermath, and consumers looked for fresh berries instead.”

Mr Bennett said many growers were “very concerned” as the health scare had struck during the peak summer season.

‘I thought I was dying’

A MAN has described the moment he passed out and thought he was about to die after contracting salmonella.

Adelaide resident Rob McKibbin, said he fell violently ill last week after eating Woolworths Select Salad Mix.

Woolworths said none of its products in South Australia were affected by the outbreak.

Mr McKibbin, who has not yet officially confirmed whether his illness was related to the salad products, said he feared suffering reactive salmonella arthritis in the next few months.

He was taken to Modbury Hospital after “passing out” and was later diagnosed with salmonella.

“I passed out at 3am (last) Wednesday. I thought I was dying and I thought “Well goodbye life’,” he said.

“The first seven days was just a blur. The entire week was a blur – absolute agony every 10-15 minutes the cramping would come back waves of pain, and then running to the toilet.

“I’m getting better now but I have to go weekly and get tested – it will take couple of months for salmonella to exit the system entirely and in the meantime I am avoiding contact with my grandchildren.”

His symptoms included diarrhoea, severe cramps and dehydration.

He has already contacted class action lawyers Maurice Blackburn to explore his options.

The shelves at Coles in Elizabeth St, Melbourne. Picture: Ellen Smith

Farm apologies as inspectors descend on ground zero

HEALTH authorities have inspected the Bacchus March farm responsible for the salmonella outbreak.

Tripod Farmers managing director Frank Ruffo said salmonella had been detected in three samples of product and further testing of recalled product had not detected the infection.

“Health authorities conducted a thorough site inspection of our Bacchus Marsh plant, including equipment swabs and further product testing,” he said.

“Our complete production area, including floor and equipment, is sanitised daily and we conduct regular microbiological testing on our facility and product samples, in full compliance with Australian standards. “We are a major producer in good standing in the industry and have been distributing washed and ready to eat products to the Australian and export markets for many years, without issue.

“We apologise to our customers and anyone affected by this recall, and are doing everything possible to ensure the health and safety of consumers and the integrity of our products.”

Dr Finn Romanes, senior medical advisor for Victoria’s Health Department, told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell it was likely the number of affected people would continue to increase.

“We were confident there were 28 case yesterday and now we’re seeing 54 cases. Other states are looking into the issue are are beginning to identify cases,” he said.

“There’s conversations today just to make sure all the states and territories are working together.

“We’re seeing a lot more cases unfortunately of people sick today.”

He said any stores which stock the recalled lettuce should not be selling it.

South Australia has no salmonella cases that have been directly linked to the Victorian lettuce but has six cases of the same strain of the infection identified in Victoria.

Experts expect many people to turn to more old-fashioned heads of lettuce amid the salmonella scare.

Schools, corner shops, diet meals affected by scare

EDUCATION Department spokesman Steve Tolley confirmed one state school had used the recalled products during a food lesson, but there was no reports of illness.

Another private school has confirmed it was affected.

“The Department of Education and Training has contacted all schools and early childhood services to inform them of the issue and request that they stop using any of the recalled products,” he said.

A 7-Eleven spokesman said it had recalled all of its sandwiches in Victorian stores during the past 24 hours.

“Tripod Farms supply raw ingredients to our Victorian sandwich manufacturer. We have been advised by the supplier that the salad types impacted by the recall are not those used in our sandwiches,” the spokesman said.

“As a precaution only, all 7-Eleven sandwiches were withdrawn from sale in all Victorian stores in the last 24 hours. We expect to be back in stock of our sandwich range in the coming days.”

Mentone Girls Grammar School Acting Principal Kay McCullough confirmed the canteen had yesterday sold burgers and souvlaki containing recalled lettuce to about 18 staff and students.

“The canteen manager got wind of it around 5.30pm yesterday and she rang another member of staff and it got to me quite quickly,” she said.

“I rang the people she could pinpoint had bought those items - burgers souvlakis - and we prepared the little email we sent out to the community.

“Hopefully no one will be sick and as far as I know at the moment, no one has reported in ill with those types of symptoms.”

Meal delivery company Light n’ Easy has confirmed some of its meals were affected.

“We are contacting all customers who have received any affected lunches via email and SMS with further instructions,” the company said via Facebook.

Coles, Woolies dump suspect supplier

COLES and Woolworths today banished all produce from Tripod Farmers indefinitely.

“We will conduct our own full investigation,” Woolworths spokesman Russell Mahoney said.

Coles said it had banished produce grown by Tripod Farmers until an investigation into the contamination cause is completed.

The supermarket said it was now using alternative suppliers for pre-packaged and loose leaf salad.

It has also launched its own internal probe into the health scare.

“Coles customers can be assured that no products grown by the supplier affected in yesterday’s recall will go back on sale at Coles supermarkets until an investigation into the cause is complete and resolved,” spokeswoman Julia Balderstone said.

“Coles is currently sourcing pre-packaged and loose leaf salad from its other suppliers who are working hard to ensure the availability of the products.

“Coles takes food safety very seriously and is carrying out its own investigation to understand the cause and ensure the issue is fully resolved before taking any further product from the supplier.”

‘Gastro’ really salmonella symptoms

MALVERN resident Lucy Fortey said she and her family were this week struck down with what she thought was gastro, after consuming 500g Wash n’ Toss Rocket Leaves from a corner store.

“My kids had three days off school. I thought it was gastro until I saw news of the recall last night,” she said.

“If it is salmonella, we have have been pretty lucky as I would have thought we would have been more sick, but I have heard you can get a mild dose.”

Another South Australian resident, who asked not to be named, said she and her colleague had contracted salmonella.

“I purchased a Coles 4 Leaf Salad bag from Mount Barker on Monday and consumed some Monday and some Tuesday. I fell very sick Wednesday with vomiting, fever, headache and dizziness,” she said.

“I was discharged from hospital last night, only at work today as I have way too much to do.”

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“Customers in WA are NOT affected by the recall as a different, local supplier is used there.

“We would like to assure all of our customers that we have taken immediate steps to replace the lettuce supplier in question with a new supplier and that any salad meals in next week’s menu (Week B) will not be effected by the current recall.”

Australian fresh food home delivery company Aussie Farmers Direct also confirmed it was recalling seven of its mixed salad products.

“If you have any of these products, we ask that you do not consume them, instead please leave the product out with your esky to be collected upon your next delivery. We will refund your account the full value of these recalled lines,” the company said in an email to customers.

Since Tripod Farmers products are distributed nationally, it is expected cases will occur in other states.

RELATED: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SALMONELLA SCARE

FEELING A LITTLE GREEN?

Symptoms of salmonellosis usually occur between six and 72 hours after ingesting the bacteria, with the most common being diarrhoea (which may contain blood or mucous), fever, headache, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration, especially among infants and the elderly.

In rare cases, septicaemia (local infection) may develop as a complication of salmonellosis.

Anyone who has become sick within six to 72 hours of eating a ready-bagged lettuce product should seek medical advice and have a stool test to determine if they have been infected with salmonella.

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Recalled products.