A SALMONELLA outbreak at a popular restaurant put two people in hospital and left eight others suffering with food poisoning after kitchen staff neglected to wash their hands regularly.

All-you-can eat buffet, China Red, in Darlington, was forced to temporarily close after customers fell ill around 12 hours after eating at the restaurant during a ten-day period.

Environmental health officers were concerned to find dirty wiping cloths, raw food stored next to ready to eat food, and staff not washing their hands after handling raw produce.

Yan Wang, the restaurant’s director, of Elmfield Terrace, Darlington, promised the kitchen would be “deep cleaned” after the salmonella contamination broke out between August and September 2017.

However, a total of 33 food hygiene contraventions were found at the Gladstone Street buffet, with the restaurant given a zero food safety rating out of five.

Wang, 28, cried in Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday as Yvonne Wood, prosecuting on behalf of Darlington Borough Council, revealed details of the salmonella outbreak.

Mrs Wood said: “On September 1, 2017, the council’s environmental health team received reports confirming two individuals were suffering from salmonella. An environmental health officer contacted the two individuals to interview them and both persons had a match in their food history.

“An officer visited China Red to investigate the premises and speak to the owners. She inspected the kitchen and associated areas and the staff toilets.

“She was immediately concerned about contamination – dirty wiping cloths and cross contamination between raw food and ready to eat food.

“Staff were not regularly washing their hands between handling raw food and ready to eat food.”

Samples taken from the kitchen, ten members of the public and members of staff found that three kitchen workers tested positive for salmonella, however they had not presented any symptoms.

Investigations carried out by Public Health England concluded that a raw egg mix was the most likely source of the salmonella bacteria, with diners becoming ill after eating contaminated fruit at the buffet.

The court also heard that the China Red restaurant, operating under He Cheng Limited, had been haemorrhaging profits over the last two years, filing losses of more than £28,000 since 2017.

Her solicitor said: “She started the business in 2014 with her husband, who was one of only two chefs at the time.

“The restaurant did employ a lot of staff then and the business started off profitably.

“However, as a result of the salmonella outbreak caused by eggs bought by her husband, it’s had a significant impact on the business.”

It was alleged that Wang has been verbally abused by customers and physically assaulted in the restaurant. The court also heard large groups of diners refused to pay for their meals and left China Red after eating there.

The 28-year-old mother-of-two now hopes to sell the restaurant and move south to “start a new life”.

Wang, who has no previous convictions, was fined £8,000 for the food hygiene breaches.

She must also pay £1,225 in costs to Darlington Borough Council to cover £975 in investigation costs and £250 in legal fees after Wang previously failed to appear at court.