The food industry has been warned that the most serious instance of E coli in the history of the State found at a Dublin hotel last week should be as a "wake-up call".
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today confirmed that O'Connells restaurant at Bewley's Hotel in Ballsbridge was the source of the outbreak of the potentially deadly E coli 0157.
The FSAI today urged the industry to be extra vigilant in observing the highest standards of hygiene and safe practice when handling and storing food.
It stressed that workers should be particularly vigilant in their personal hygiene and advised employers not to rush anyone back to work if they have been suffering from food poisoning.
"What a lot of people don't realise is that food workers can also be asymptomatic, whereby they display no symptoms of illness and continue to go to work, unaware that they are carrying a potentially lethal bacteria," Mr Peter Whelan, of the FSAI said.
E coli O157, is the most serious food poisoning threat to consumers as up to 30 per cent of people infected can develop kidney failure, 3 to 5 per cent of whom die, Mr Whelan continued.
O'Connells restaurant was closed last Wednesday after it was identified as a common link between at seven people displaying symptoms of severe food poisoning.
"This outbreak should serve as a strong reminder to the entire food industry that they can not be complacent about the need for robust, rigorous and closely monitored procedures for ensuring food safety," Mr Whelan said.