August 30, 2022

 

Study identifies eggs as key source of European salmonella outbreaks

 
 

Eggs are the main food source of salmonella outbreaks in Europe, according to a study.

 

From a list of 18 food sources, eggs and egg products were the most important source of salmonellosis outbreaks, followed by pork and general meat products.

 

Salmonella outbreak data in 34 European countries from 2015 to 2019 collected by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) were assessed. In Europe, salmonella is the leading cause of outbreaks.

 

There was a significant increase in outbreaks in the period. This was driven by more reports in Eastern Europe, according to the study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology.

 

There were 939 outbreaks caused by Salmonella Enteritidis, 130 by Salmonella Typhimurium and its monophasic variant, 107 by other known serotypes, and 332 by unknown types.

 

After a significant decrease between 2008 and 2014, the incidence of salmonellosis stabilised in most European countries from 2015 to 2019. Identifying the main sources of outbreaks helps guide public health interventions.

 

In total, 1,508 salmonella outbreaks were included in the analysis. Of these, 1,040 were caused by simple foods and 468 by unknown food sources. The number of ill people involved in outbreaks was not considered.

 

The majority of outbreaks were reported in Eastern Europe, followed by Southern, Western and Northern Europe, and the highest was 366 in 2018.

 

The top serotype associated with outbreaks was Salmonella Enteritidis. This might be related to the largest EU multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis ever documented, which was linked to contaminated eggs from Poland and involved 14 countries since 2016, said researchers.

 

Eggs were the top food source in all regions but pork was the second most common source in Northern and Western Europe.

 

The rate of salmonellosis attributed to eggs did not differ much over the study period. Eggs accounted for a higher proportion of outbreaks in Southern and Eastern Europe.

 

Outbreaks caused by Salmonella Enteritidis and other known serotypes were mostly attributed to eggs, whereas those caused by Salmonella Typhimurium and the monophasic variant were mainly traced to pork.

 
- Food Safety News