US Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs in pastries

A salmonella outbreak in the US appears to be connected to raw eggs, the Rhode Island Department of Health has said.

The department has received reports of 33 possible salmonella cases connected to tainted pastries made by a Johnston bakery.

“The investigation is ongoing as we speak. We do expect to see reported illnesses through the end of this week,” said Health Department spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth. The department said of those, 11 tested positive for salmonella and 17 people were hospitalised.

Health officials said the common thread appears to be the consumption of zeppoles, an Italian pastry similar to a doughnut, made by DeFusco’s Bakery in Johnston. “All of them had purchased a baked good from either DeFusco’s or a baked good that DeFusco’s had supplied.”

The department said the pastry shells had been stored in used egg crates, which could have exposed them to infected raw eggs. Health experts are now trying to pinpoint the source of infection in the eggs.

On Fri 25 Mar 2011, the department announced a recall of all baked goods sold at DeFusco’s following an inspection of the Johnston store.

Source: International Society for Infectious Diseases