More than 100 people reported becoming sick after a "disturbing" salmonella outbreak linked to Ricardo's Cafe earlier this year, while the cause of another outbreak remains a mystery, ACT Health says.
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According to ACT Health's annual report, there were 90 cases of salmonella between January and March this year linked to three food outlets.
None of the food outlets have faced prosecution, but ACT Health said it would provide reports on all three cases to the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions.
The biggest outbreak was associated with Ricardo's Cafe in Belconnen where 100 people reported suffering from gastroenteritis with 75 confirmed cases of Salmonella.
Of the confirmed cases 19 people were hospitalised, ACT Health said.
A second outbreak of Salmonella was also investigated about the same time with four confirmed salmonella infections from people who reported eating at Central Cafe in Gungahlin between January 30 and February 2.
Both cafes were found to have flaws in their food handling processes and procedures and forced to temporarily close.
Ricardo's Cafe's owner previously stated salmonella had been found on a dish cloth and tea towel in the cafe.
ACT Health said both cafes have been inspected since the outbreaks and found to be compliant.
A third Salmonella outbreak investigation was conducted in February and March, with 11 cases where people ate at the same restaurant over a five week period.
Several inspections of the premises did not identify any issues and the source of that outbreak remains unknown, ACT Health said.
It declined to identify the food outlet given it was found to be compliant and could not be held responsible for the outbreak.
An ACT Health spokesman said any foodborne outbreak was taken seriously by the Health Protection Service.
"As such, outbreaks with large numbers of cases are very concerning, and it is disturbing when an outbreak results in persons requiring hospitalisation," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said between July 1 2015 and June 30 2017, the Health Protection Service issued 15 prohibition orders under the Food Act 2001.
He said in most instances prosecutions were initiated within 12 months of the date of the offence.
The annual report also highlighted a case in December last year when Health Protection Service used powers under the Public Health Act to clean-up at an insanitary home which was providing "harbourage for vermin" and impacting on neighbours.
"The property had an accumulation of food and other material in the around the house," the report said.
The health protection service has continued to monitor the property since the clean-up.
Associate professor Martyn Kirk, from ANU's College of Health and Medicine, said summer was a riskier time for salmonella outbreaks, when the bacteria was able to flourish.
"That's a reasonably large outbreak associated with one food premises," he said.
"Salmonella is one of the more severe causes of gastroenteritis.
"It can last up to a week and about one in five people might end up going to a hospital."
Dr Kirk said the food service industry had a responsibility to make sure it handled food safely and avoided high risk foods, such as raw eggs and improperly cured foods.
