Outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 6 infection associated with food items provided at a buffet meal

Preliminary enquiries following prompt notification of three cases of suspected food poisoning revealed that they had all attended the same three functions during the preceding weekend. Subsequent investigation identified 49 people with gastrointestinal symptoms, 13 of whom were infected with Salmonella enteritidis phage type 6. Forty-five of those with symptoms, including 11 with confirmed infection, had eaten a buffet meal at a public house. Eating egg sandwiches was strongly associated with infection. Defects in the kitchen structure and the storage and handling of the implicated food items provided the potential for cross contamination. Salmonella was isolated from several environmental sites, including a general purpose cleaning cloth. Two different quiches and pork pies, which were possible vehicles of infection were thought to have been contaminated after being brought into the kitchen. The investigation did not reveal whether or not shell eggs used in the sandwiches were the original source or whether they too had been contaminated during their preparation.