The number of salmonella cases linked to pre-packed leafy greens grown and distributed by a Bacchus Marsh farm has doubled overnight.
The Health Department has confirmed 54 people – mostly adults – have suspected cases of the Salmonella anatum strain associated with greens grown at Tripod Farmers.
Two people have so far been hospitalised.
The Health Department has urged consumers to return pre-packed lettuces, by Tripod Farmers, sold at supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths.
The Coles 4 Leaf Mix, Woolworths salad mix, SupaSalad Supamix, and Wash N Toss salad mix, with best before dates leading up to, and including, February 14, are part of a statewide recall.
Several other brands and products have been added to the list.
Diet-food delivery service Lite n’ Easy has also warned its customers not to eat the salad component in its pre-made lunches and to seek medical attention if they had eaten them and felt unwell.
The department’s senior medical advisor, Finn Romanes, said there were a higher than usual number of cases of the Salmonella anatum strain.
Dr Romanes called the outbreak of “moderate size, but quite significant” and urged people to not consume the recalled bags.
He said while no cases of salmonella had been recorded in other states and territories, the health departments were working towards a coordinated response.
“There is strong evidence the outbreak has been related to the consumption of bagged lettuce sourced from Tripod Farmers,” Dr Romanes said.
“We don’t have any evidence… there’s any other kind of source for this outbreak.”
Dr Romanes said tests of three products from two batches of pre-packaged lettuce distrivuted by Tripod Farmers also tested positive for the salmonella bacteria.
Given the prevalence of the products and their distribution through supermarkets, he said the cases known to date were likely to be the “tip of the iceberg”.
“We do expect to see more cases,” he said.
“We are working with the company to understand what may have occurred… They have instituted a comprehensive clean-up to make sure any risk is minimised.”
Salmonella is a form of gastro and the severity of the symptoms depends on the number of bacteria ingested, age and general health.
The elderly, those with a medical condition, or are malnourished are prone to the illness.
Symptoms of salmonella, which occur between six to 72 hours after the bacteria is ingested, include diarrhoea, fever, headache, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and dehydration.
Tripod Farmers has been contacted for comment.
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has issued a recall notice for 20 products on its website.
Click here for further information about Salmonella.
