An Australian woman has died and more than 200 people reported ill following a salmonella outbreak at a number of Melbourne Cup events held in Brisbane earlier this month.
Piccalilli Catering which catered to 40 different Melbourne Cup events released a statement last week blaming eggs used in fresh mayonnaise for the salmonella outbreak.
Piccalilli Catering co-owner Helen Grace, said they were deeply upset and distressed at the outcome.
“We always pride ourselves on sourcing the freshest Australian ingredients for our kitchens. We feel very disappointed and let down that the normally reliable fresh food supply chain has failed us – and our clients – on this occasion,” Ms Grace said in the statement.
“Having sourced those eggs from a normally reputable fresh food market, we had no reason to believe they were not up to the very high standards we demand of our suppliers. Suffice to say we will not source produce from this supplier in the future. We will leave it to our insurers and lawyers to determine what other action should be taken.
“It is of some comfort to know that there has not been a breakdown in our own quality systems. Indeed, we have never experienced an incident such as this in 25 years as professional caterers. We are undertaking a thorough investigation of our supply chain arrangements, in order to ensure we are not let down by suppliers in this manner again.
“We have also fully reviewed our internal procedures. We will continue to cooperate with the state and local authorities, to complete the enquiries. We want to thank Queensland Health and Brisbane City Council’s health departments for their professionalism and assistance during this difficult time.”
Reports on the death of the elderly woman are that while she did have a salmonella infection it was not the cause of her death.
Investigations are continuing.