A SANDWICH firm and a meat supplier are at the centre of an investigation into what is believed to be a mass food poisoning outbreak which has closed two Jersey schools.

The companies are Empire Catering’s sandwich division and Trinity Fine Foods, which supplies them cooked meat. Environmental Health say that the two companies have closed voluntarily while the investigation continues. Haute Vallée and Springfield School will remain closed until at least Monday because of the large number of teachers who are off sick. The investigation has also been expanded to include the Jersey Live music festival after a number of backstage workers became ill. The manager of Trinity Fine Foods, Vincent Fitzgerald, confirmed that the company had agreed to stop supplying cooked meats and was helping environmental health officers with their inquiries. ‘I am in the process of contacting all our major customers and the independents,’ he added. Mario Pirozzollo, the owner of Empire Catering, has refused to confirm that his company is at the centre of the investigation. However, the company is believed to have closed its Journeaux Street sandwich factory and moved to temporary premises at the headquarters of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society. Empire provide the food for Haute Vallée’s school canteen but Mr Pirozollo said that this has not been the cause of the illness. ‘We operate the restaurant at Haute Vallée but that was not the cause, as the students were not affected,’ he said.