Cross-contamination caused salmonella outbreak at Stoney Creek restaurant: public health

Hamilton Public Health says cross-contamination contributed to the recent salmonella outbreak at a Stoney Creek restaurant.

The Piper Arms location at 1786 Stone Church Rd. East was ordered to close on April 13 following dozens of people reporting falling ill after eating at the restaurant.

According to Public Health, there have been 29 confirmed cases of Salmonellosis linked to the outbreak, 57 probable cases and nine hospitalizations.

Data from an investigation into the outbreak by the city suggests “cross-contamination contributed to transmission within the premises rather than a sole food item as the source of illness.”

Investigators determined that shredded cheese tested positive for Salmonella enteritidis.

As a result, three charges with fines totaling $705 were issued on April 29 to the owner of the restaurant.

In a statement to CHCH News from the Piper Arms team, they confirmed that the source of the reported illnesses was identified to be a specific batch of cheese served. “Upon identification, we acted immediately to remove and discard all affected products and complied with the public health recommendations to close, pending the investigation,” the statement reads.

The restaurant says the product in question was “sourced from an external supplier and met all standard food safety requirements upon delivery.”

Piper Arms reopened Monday after meeting all public health requirements and receiving clearance to resume operations. They say they are “confident that every necessary step has been taken to provide a safe and secure dining environment including the implementation of a 3rd party food safety inspection process.”

READ MORE: Cross-contamination named likely cause of salmonella outbreak at Stoney Creek restaurant