news

4 people have contracted fish poisoning from a Sydney cafe.

Four people are suffering from suspected fish poisoning after eating from the same Sydney cafe yesterday.

Health authorities said the tuna, which was served in sandwiches, was suspected to have caused scombroid fish poisoning.

Earlier, News Corporation reported the victims ate at the Soul Origin cafe in the CBD, but authorities have not revealed where the food was purchased.

tuna salad urbanspoon
A tuna Salad from Soul Origin. (Image: ‘Got My Vote!’ Urbanspoon)

It was reported they had eaten tuna from Thailand, and the cafe had replaced the tuna brand it had been using once notified of the poisoning.

Related content: woman finds horrifying, unidentifiable creature in her can of Tuna. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Health authorities said the suspected illness was commonly linked to fish that had not been properly stored.

Scombroid fish poisoning is thought to have killed a Queensland mother and daughter while they holidayed on Bali last year.

The cafe has replaced the tuna it was using.

However, the poisoning, which causes similar symptoms to an allergic reaction, is rarely fatal, according to authorities.

“The Public Health Unit of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District has been alerted to four suspected cases of scombroid fish poisoning associated with eating fish that may not have been properly stored,” unit director Mark Ferson said.

“All four cases ate at the same food outlet in the Sydney CBD.

“The Public Health Unit has notified the Food Authority which is carrying out further investigations.”

Related content: What do you get for $9 a kilo? Poo berries and hepatitis.

The New South Wales Food Authority said the product was an “obscure foreign brand” used predominately in catering and the importer would be contacting all its clients today.

All the people who contracted the fish poisoning ate at a Soul Origin cafe in the Sydney CBD.

Authority chief executive Peter Day said people should not be concerned about canned tuna in general.

“We’ve got no evidence to suggest it’s a widespread issue,” said Mr Day.

“The product in question is a bit of an obscure brand, it tends to be more confined to a catering pack, so it’s more used in cafes.”

Mr Day said the product was being withdrawn from supply.

This article was originally published by ABC and has been republished here with full permission.