Excerpt from Food Safety News, August 11, 2018

Salmonella in eggs has led to separate recalls in three European countries in a timely reminder for vigilance after a recent rise in infections from the pathogen ended a decade of decline.  Alerts were made in Germany, Italy, and Malta but no illnesses have been reported. The annual report on zoonotic diseases published at the end of last year found a declining trend of salmonellosis cases in Europe had ended.

Salmonella Enteritidis had been falling since 2007 when EU surveillance began and control measures in poultry were implemented.  Cases acquired in the EU have increased by 3 percent since 2014, according to the report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).  Salmonella in eggs caused the highest number of outbreak cases (1,882) and Salmonella Enteritidis was behind one in six foodborne disease outbreaks based on 2016 data.

In Germany, Salmonella Enteritidis was detected during self-monitoring of the eggs from a packing station in Lower Saxony in the district of Vechta.   The same company recalled organic eggs sold across the country due to Salmonella concerns in June.   In Italy, the Ministry of Health informed consumers about a recall of three batches of eggs due to Salmonella Enteritidis.  And in Malta, sampling as part of the Veterinary National Control program for Salmonella found the pathogen at two farms.

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