Fuck me.

I give up.

How hopeless are Australians when it comes to making people barf with raw or undercooked eggs?

According to Greg Stolz of The Courier-Mail, a top Gold Coast cafe has pleaded guilty to putting more than 20 customers in hospital with salmonella poisoning, most after eating contaminated eggs benedict (right, exactly as shown, with a serving of sprouts).

Gold Coast Hospital had to open a special ward to cope with the mass outbreak, Southport Magistrates Court heard.

A total of 44 diners became ill after eating at the Grocer and Grind cafe at Broadbeach Waters in March last year, the court was told.

Thirty had laboratory-confirmed salmonella poisoning while another 14 also reported being ill.

Twenty-two customers were hospitalised with symptoms including nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, blood in their stools and diarrhea.

The court heard poor food handling practices, including “temperature abuse” and using a tea towel to drain moisture from eggs used to make hollandaise sauce, was to blame for the outbreak.

Grocer and Grind had been issued an official warning about poor hygiene including dirty tea towels four months before the outbreak, the court heard.

Grocer and Grind and its owner Taletha March pleaded guilty to two charges, brought by Queensland Health, of selling unsafe food.

The cafe and Ms March face maximum fines of more than $330,000.

The hearing is continuing.

A selection of egg-related outbreaks in Australia can be found here.