One company has been named as the source of a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds of people in Victoria.

The Green Eggs company, based near Ararat in western Victoria, has been named by the state’s Health Department as the likely source of eggs which were served at restaurants in Torquay and St Kilda.

Reports say over 200 people became ill after eating dishes which included raw or soft eggs at a range of restaurants.

Investigations are not yet complete, but new Health Department and biosecurity restrictions have been placed on the farm as a precautionary measure.

Suppliers and customers have been warned to destroy or properly cook all eggs carrying the Green Eggs company brand.

Victoria's chief health officer, Dr Rosemary Lester said Green Eggs products should not be eaten with a soft yolk.

She said it would be around a week before the department will be “100 per cent” sure that the Green Eggs company has been the source, but investigations so far have strongly implicated the farm.

Owner of Green Eggs, Alan Green, has told the Ararat Advertiser that the company has ordered new egg-washing machinery from overseas to try and improve their methods.

“Washing the eggs brings along its own issues ... and there is a possibility that this can happen again,” he said.

“We can only do our best to ensure the product we distribute is of the highest grade, but after that it is out of our control and using raw egg products always has a degree of risk.”

“We are an accredited egg farm that does its absolute best to produce first grade quality under the national scheme and this is a massive blow.”

Reports say five people have been laid off at the farm as a result of the stopped trade.