Tasmanian health officers have warned people to avoid foods containing raw eggs after the state’s latest salmonella outbreak.

Director of Public Health Roscoe Taylor said the likely cause of the latest Hobart outbreak was ready-to-eat foods or sauces containing raw egg, according to The Mercury.

At least 40 people are known to have contracted gastroenteritis. Three people are known to have been hospitalised, of whom two remain in hospital in a satisfactory condition.

Dr Taylor said tests had so far shown eight cases of salmonella, but he did not know whether it was the same strain as recent outbreaks. "The food business involved had prepared ready-to-eat foods such as tartare sauce, mayonnaise and an avocado mix, using raw egg as one of the ingredients," he said.

"At present, it appears to be safer to use commercially available ready-to-eat pasteurised product or to use pasteurised egg yolk or egg powder ingredients when preparing these sauces in-house," he said.