Samples from the Betta Maid bakery in Unanderra have tested positive for salmonella as an investigation continues into an outbreak of the disease which resulted in the deaths of two elderly people.
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The NSW Food Authority said “a number of environmental samples” from Betta Maid were positive but further testing is needed to determine if the salmonella is the same strain implicated in the outbreak.
There has been 28 confirmed salmonella cases among aged care residents, including 25 from facilities run by IRT.
The positive results were from environmental swabs taken at Betta Maid.
The Food Authority’s website states that environmental swabbing ‘‘involves the microbiological testing of food preparation surfaces, equipment and utensils’’.
Late Wednesday, the Food Authority said it was awaiting further testing of food samples from Betta Maid and would launch a further investigation into the bakery’s facility.
There have been no reports of illness in the wider community related to the consumption of food from Betta Maid.
The Mercury has not been able to contact Betta Maid food safety officer and food technologist Anthony Peart for a response to the test results.
The Unanderra wholesale bakery was caught up in the investigation as it supplied products to aged care facilities affected by the outbreak.
Last week, it was shut down for seven hours after an inspection by food authorities revealed hygiene and pest control issues.
It was allowed to reopen after correcting those issues but the food authority advised aged care facilities to take Betta Maid products off their menu as a precaution.
The outbreak, involving a rare strain of salmonella, struck 10 aged care facilities across the Illawarra Shoalhaven, south-east Sydney and the ACT.
IRT has confirmed that 25 of the confirmed cases occurred at its care facilities, while two of its residents who had contracted salmonella had subsequently died.
On Wednesday a food authority spokeswoman said: "A variety of products and ingredients, as well as equipment and environmental swabs, were collected from the Betta Maid facility as part of the NSW Food Authority's investigations into suppliers of IRT facilities.
"A number of environmental samples taken from the Betta Maid facility returned positive for salmonella species.
"Further testing is now under way to determine if it is the salmonella strain that was implicated in the IRT outbreak or a different type of salmonella.
"The NSW Food Authority is now undertaking further investigation of the Betta Maid facility."
NSW Health is hopeful the outbreak has been contained with the onset date of the last confirmed case back on February 12. IRT chief executive Nieves Murray said a range of measures including industrial cleaning had been taken to stop the spread of infection.
"We are very hopeful that there will not be any more confirmed cases of salmonella," she said.
"We have done everything we can to minimise risk to our residents.
"The NSW Food Authority has confirmed to us in writing that adequate controls are in place to ensure the safety of our residents."
Ms Murray said the proactive measure taken by IRT to take high-risk foods off the menu remained in place.
The organisation will work with the food authority to return a full menu service at its facilities.
