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'Highly unlikely' commercial mushrooms contaminated with death cap toxins, health official says
Atkinson says the department’s investigation concluded it was “highly unlikely” that commercial mushroom supply chains were contaminated with death cap mushrooms.
She says the “commercial” supply chain referred to both Woolworths and Asian grocers.
The jury previously heard Patterson told Atkinson she had purchased the mushrooms used in the beef wellington from Woolworths in Leongatha and an Asian grocer in Melbourne.
Atkinson says the investigation found the risk to public health was deemed low.
She says the department did not receive any reports of other people becoming ill after consuming mushrooms and determined the case was an isolated incident.
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Mandy asks Atkinson about her evidence Patterson told her the dried mushrooms may have been purchased in Oakleigh, Clayton or Mount Waverley.
Atkinson agrees Patterson was not sure where she had purchased the death cap mushrooms from.
Patterson’s defence lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, is cross-examining Atkinson.
Mandy asks about the conversation Atkinson recalled yesterday with Conor McDermott, a doctor at the Austin hospital on 31 July 2023 – two days after the lunch.
Atkinson says she rejects that McDermott said “Glen Waverley” when mentioning where some of the mushrooms may have been purchased from.
Mandy says his client did not provide Atkinson a specific date for when she purchased the mushrooms used in the beef wellington.
Atkinson says her understanding is Patterson had purchased the majority of the lunch ingredients on the Friday before the lunch.
But she agrees Patterson did not give a specific date for when she purchased the mushrooms.
'Highly unlikely' commercial mushrooms contaminated with death cap toxins, health official says
Atkinson says the department’s investigation concluded it was “highly unlikely” that commercial mushroom supply chains were contaminated with death cap mushrooms.
She says the “commercial” supply chain referred to both Woolworths and Asian grocers.
The jury previously heard Patterson told Atkinson she had purchased the mushrooms used in the beef wellington from Woolworths in Leongatha and an Asian grocer in Melbourne.
Atkinson says the investigation found the risk to public health was deemed low.
She says the department did not receive any reports of other people becoming ill after consuming mushrooms and determined the case was an isolated incident.
The jury has entered the courtroom in Morwell.
Department of Health official Sally Ann Atkinson is continuing to give evidence.
She says the investigation the department launched into the deadly beef wellington lunch ran from 31 July 2023 to 11 August 2023.
We are waiting for today’s proceedings to get under way. Here’s a recap of what the jury heard on Monday from our justice and courts reporter, Nino Bucci:
Welcome
Welcome to day 20 of Erin Patterson’s triple murder trial.
Evidence is expected to begin after 10.30am once the jurors enter the courtroom.
Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her house in Leongatha, in regional Victoria, on 29 July 2023.
The prosecution alleges that Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests with “murderous intent” but her lawyers say the poisoning was a tragic accident.
Patterson is accused of murdering her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and her estranged husband’s aunt, Heather Wilkinson. She is accused of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian.
