A Canberra cafe owner whose business was charged over dozens of salmonella cases has slammed health services and prosecutors after the charges were dropped, claiming they were completely unfounded.

Key points: Charges were brought after salmonella cases in 2017

Charges were brought after salmonella cases in 2017 Ricardo's owner claims the "Canberra institution" suffers a damaged reputation

Ricardo's owner claims the "Canberra institution" suffers a damaged reputation Owner pleaded guilty to one minor charge

The owner of Ricardo's, Rick DeMarco, 32, was cleared of the most serious charges spanning from an investigation in February 2017, which began after customers complained of food poisoning on social media.

The ACT Health Protection Service (HPS) launched an investigation into Ricardo's after 100 people reported being sick after eating at the cafe.

"Following an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness involving over 100 cases associated with this cafe, the HPS investigated and undertook regulatory action, serving a prohibition order to close the premises until the identified issues had been rectified," an ACT Health spokeswoman said in a statement.

"All public complaints and outbreaks of food borne illnesses are investigated immediately. Not only can food borne illness have serious impacts on a person's health, but we also want our community to feel confident dining out in Canberra's cafes and restaurants and at major events."

Impact has been 'disastrous'

In a statement at the time, Mr DeMarco admitted salmonella was found on a used dishcloth and tea towel, but nothing was found in any food or on any cafe equipment.

The cafe admitted to one minor breach relating to food storage. ( ABC News: Elise Pianegonda )

After prosecutors told the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday they were dropping several charges relating to the outbreak, Mr DeMarco's lawyers released a statement criticising the process.

"There was never any cogent evidence to link the occurrence of salmonella to anything done or left undone by Mr DeMarco or any staff of Ricardo's Cafe," the statement said.

"Mr DeMarco is disappointed with the way the Director of Public Prosecutions and [the ACT Health Protection Service] have conducted the investigation into the events at Ricardo's Cafe, and that he has been forced to defend seven charged for approximately two years that had no basis in fact.

"These unfounded charges have had a disastrous impact upon Ricardo's, a Canberra institution that has been trading since 2005."

A hearing, which began last year, was to have continued Monday morning but was abandoned when prosecutors withdrew the main charges, saying they had no evidence to offer.

Mr DeMarco pleaded guilty to a single minor offence, of reusing a couple of single use containers.

His lawyer Jack Pappas told the court the accusations had a marked impact on the business, and Mr DeMarco had lived with serious charges hanging over his head.

The court heard he had stepped up his supervision of the kitchen and conducted more regular deep cleans.

"You have a young man who takes his responsibility as a food provider seriously," Mr Pappas said.

'Huge beat up'

Outside the court Mr Pappas said the outbreak was first reported on social media, and that may have impacted the case.

"I think it's a very fair outcome, I think it was a huge beat up and should never have been prosecuted in the way it was," he said.

"It started out as a bit of a blow up on social media and it seems to me the health inspectors got carried away and everyone else involved with it got carried away."

Magistrate Lorraine Walker noted the fact prosecutors had abandoned the more serious charges and, without those charges, the one Mr DeMarco had pleaded guilty to may never have been pursued.

She told the court it was important to note that there was no correlation between the salmonella charges and the minor charge.

Ms Walker said she had decided to use her discretion and not record a conviction.

Mr DeMarco's lawyer Zoe Jones said it was disappointing inspectors had not looked into other issues like the supply chain.

"It's only at the 11th hour and the 59th minute that the prosecution decided to withdraw most of the charges against my client," she said.

"There was no trace-back investigation conducted about any other producers involved."

But HPS said they stood by their course of action.

"ACT Health does not take a decision to issue a prohibition order or prepare a prosecution brief for a business lightly," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"A decision on whether to prepare a brief is made following a thorough investigation and analysis of the evidence. The HPS worked hard to prepare a thorough brief of evidence that addressed all relevant issues for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

"The decision to prosecute and any subsequent decisions made as part of the prosecution process is a matter for the DPP."