The number of salmonella cases from the pre-packed lettuce recall has risen from 54 to 62 in Victoria and it may takes weeks to investigate the cause of the outbreak.
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The eight new cases comes as salad grower and processor Tripod Farmers expects further test results about the contamination in the next few days. There are another 30 cases of salmonella around the country, bringing the total number to 92.
A spokesman for the Victorian Health Department said it could take weeks to fully investigate the cause because it was a painstaking process.
When a national recall of lettuce sold at Coles and Woolworths was issued on February 4, there were 28 cases of salmonella in Victoria and by February 5, the number rose to 54.
The recalled lettuce includes brands such as Coles 4 Leaf Mix, Woolworths salad mix, SupaSalad Supamix and Wash N Toss salad mix. They have best-before dates leading up to and including February 14.
The trendy superfood kale is one of the "wash n toss" packs affected and consumers have lamented the agonising irony about being struck down while trying to be healthy.
Tripod Farmers, a family business, was established in 1989 and grows 809 hectares of lettuce in Melbourne, Gippsland and the Sunraysia regions.
Amid speculation about the cause of the outbreak being linked to rain, fertiliser and recycled water on crops, managing director Frank Ruffo said in a statement that the company was continuing to work with health authorities.
"The company apologises to everyone affected by the recall, and thanks the public for the way it is responding to the recall," Mr Ruffo said.
The company has suspended some of its farming and processing operations while the investigation is underway.
Customers who ate the lettuce continue to contact Fairfax Media about their agony. Some people were so ill that when their doctor tried to take a blood test, they were so dehydrated that after three attempts to take a sample, there was still no blood.
The Health Department says symptoms of salmonellosis usually occur between 6 to 72 hours after the bacteria is ingested.
The list of recalled loose-leaf lettuce due to the salmonella outbreak #salmonella pic.twitter.com/4NOJKkv14p— Suzanne Carbone (@SuzanneCarbone) February 8, 2016
Tripod Farmers is based in Bacchus Marsh and the CEO of Moorabool Shire Council, Rob Croxford, said the council's environmental health officers were working with the company and the Health Department to help them isolate the cause of the problem that prompted a voluntary reporting and recall of specific batches of products.
"Tripod is classed as a primary production premises and as such is not registered with council," Mr Croxford said. "Council officers are now undertaking ongoing samples at the direction of the department."
A Woolworths spokesman said if customers were concerned that a product had made them unwell, they should first seek medical attention. "Thereafter we advise customers to get in contact with our customer-care team to discuss the matter further. Contact details can be found on the website."
A statement on the Coles website says: "Customers can return the products to Coles supermarkets for a full refund and any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice. We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience."
