SALMONELLA OUTBREAK FROM MICROWAVE COOKED FOOD

Following a buffet meal served to six guests at a private domestic fun ction, five of the guests and the host developed symptoms of food pois oning. Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 (PT4) was isolated from all four individuals who submitted faecal samples for investigation. Left over samples of a savoury rice dish consumed by all six ill persons co ntained 6 x 10(3)/gm Salmonella enteritidis PT4. The rice salad compri sed boiled rice, raw carrots, eggs, cheese and curry powder. The curry powder and remainder of the pack of six eggs were negative on microbi ological analysis. The rice dish had been prepared by heating in a 500 W microwave oven with a rotating turntable on full power for 5 min. A lthough the hazards of inadequate microwave cooking are well recognize d, this is only the second outbreak of food poisoning from microwave c ooking to be reported.