Pork pies cause South Australia salmonella outbreak

Five confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning have been linked to pies baked by The Pork Pie Shop in Victor Harbor, South Australia, with other non-confirmed cases also being reported throughout the state.

The source of the outbreak was identified on Wednesday this week after four people between the ages of 54 and 80 were hospitalised after eating the items. Both the Ascot pies and pork pies produced by the bakery are thought to be affected.

The Pork Pie Shop bakes around 350 pork pies a week which are distributed through local supermarkets, delis and butchers. They’ve stopped producing the pies since the start of the outbreak and have issued a recall of the items.

People suffering from salmonella typically start experiencing symptoms between 12 hours and 3 days after eating the affected item. Typical symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea and stomach cramps. Other symptoms include dizziness, headaches and a fever. As with all cases of severe food poisoning, medical assistance should be sought.

South Australian residents are being urged not to eat Ascot pies or pork pies that they’ve previously purchased.

“As a precaution, SA Health recommends anyone who has pork or Ascot pies in their home to contact the place of purchase to confirm if the product is from The Pork Pie Shop,” Dr Fay Jenkins from SA Health advises.

“If so people should either discard the pie immediately or return it to the place of purchase. Products from other manufacturers will be safe to consume and there is no reason for people to be concerned.”