Australia still has an egg problem; and it seems no matter how many outbreaks there are, how many people get sick, and how much business is lost, the cooks I talk with are fiercely committed to continue the use of raw eggs in mayonnaise, aioli and custards.

Expect more outbreaks.

Especially when the lede from the national Australian Broadcast Corporation is that the restaurant at the center of Canberra’s worst food poisoning outbreak is keen to reopen, not, why did such a large restaurant sicken so many people by relying on food safety fairytales?

More than 140 people became ill after eating at The Copa Brazilian Churrasco restaurant in Dickson at the weekend.

Fifteen people were admitted to hospital for treatment.

ACT Health found salmonella bacteria in mayonnaise used at the eatery.

Chief health officer Dr Paul Kelly says the restaurant could reopen within days.

“Now that we’ve really fingered the problem, we can actually work with them towards that in the coming days,” he said.

Dr Kelly says the use of raw eggs in restaurant food can be a problem.

“There are products on the market that pasteurize eggs, that may lead to a slightly less ‘foody’ answer to the problem, but it’s certainly safer,” he said.

“When you’re making mayonnaise at home then you’re taking your own risk. When you’re making six litres at a time using 30 raw eggs, then you just increase the chances I think to an unacceptable level. It’s a common practice in many restaurants across Australia.”

The case toll in that other, unrelated Canberra outbreak has now reached 90.

A table of raw-egg related outbreaks in Australia is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/raw-egg-related-outbreaks-australia.