SYDNEY, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Food authorities in Australia's New South Wales (NSW) state issued a major alert on Saturday about potential salmonella contamination in batches of organic eggs on supermarket shelves, following two other similar recalls earlier this year.

The batches of Southern Highland Organic Eggs originating from Australia were being recalled by the Synergy Produce company from major supermarket chains Woolworths and IGA as well as other independent retailers, according to a statement from the NSW Food Authority.

"The recall is due to potential microbial (Salmonella Enteritidis) contamination" and food products contaminated with the bacteria "may cause illness if consumed," it said.

"Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund," said the authority.

The recall covers the 300-g (six-pack) and 700-g (12-pack) products, with best before dates up to and including May 9.

The warning is the third major recall of tainted egg products this year, following separate salmonella concerns for other egg suppliers in February and March, according to local media.

In March, at least five people in their 20s to 80s contracted salmonella enteritidis linked to eggs from Victoria state's Bridgewater Poultry. In February, the NSW Food Authority advised consumers to discard eggs marked with a "BEC" or "BEC115" label amid contamination concerns.