Food Safety Focus (221st Issue, December 2024) – Article 3

Salmonella and Tiramisu

In October, two suspected food poisoning cases related to the consumption of tiramisu were reported. The suspected causative agent was Salmonella. The Centre for Food Safety has instructed the premises concerned to suspend the sale of relevant products and carry out disinfection.

According to investigation findings, inadequate cooking and improper holding temperature were the probable contributing factors for the outbreak. Tiramisu is typically made without thorough heat treatment to kill pathogens. Although pasteurised egg yolk solution was used, it was mixed with unpasteurised raw egg white which might have caused contamination. Bacterial proliferation might be the result of improper storage of the tiramisu.

Cooking food thoroughly can eliminate Salmonella and other pathogens. To reduce food safety risks, pasteurised egg products are a good substitute for raw eggs in lightly cooked dishes. To avoid cross contamination, pasteurised eggs should not be mixed with raw eggs in lightly cooked dishes and they should be properly stored at or below 4°C in refrigerators.