Sahil Makkar of the Daily Mail writes two elderly people have died and a third is fighting for their life after eating salmon believed to be contaminated.

The two people were from New South Wales and Victoria respectively, while the third person who was rushed to hospital was from Queensland.

All three people have contracted listeriosis.

‘Investigations have implicated smoked salmon as the likely source,’ Australian chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said in a statement.

‘All cases occurred in people aged over 70 years and all had significant underlying health conditions.

Tasmanian salmon products are believed to be the source of the outbreak.

But its two largest suppliers said they are not aware of any evidence linking their products to the outbreak. 

‘Tassal products have not been deemed unsafe, nor has it breached the Food Standards Code,’ Tassal said in a statement.

Huon Aquaculture said health authorities had recently tested and cleared of any food safety law breaches.

Tassal and Huon command 30 per cent and 20 per cent of market share respectively.

Tasmania’s Minister for Primary Industries Guy Barnet said his department has investigated the matter.