Australia-News.Au.com-Farm scrutinised after salmonella outbreaks

TASMANIAN egg supplier Pitt’s Poultry has come under scrutiny by the health department after being linked to a string of salmonella outbreaks around the state.

Pitt’s supplied the eggs that led to the recent outbreak at Venus cafe on Hobart’s Eastern Shore, which made 80 people ill – 47 of whom were confirmed as having salmonella.

But the company – which has battery-hen sheds at Oyster Cove and Snug and is a major supplier to the state’s cafes and restaurants – has also been linked to at least three other major salmonella outbreaks in the last few years.

Three outbreaks between 2005 and 2007 have all been connected with eggs supplied by Pitt’s, which is run by Nick Pitt, whose family has been in the poultry industry for more than 50 years.

After the 2007 outbreak, Pitt’s was made to significantly alter its operations regarding the production and handling of eggs and an intensive egg washing, crack-testing and sorting process was implemented…more..