Egg crisis deepens as UK reaches 500 salmonella cases
A salmonella outbreak linked to imported eggs has now resulted in more than 500 confirmed cases in the UK, according to new figures.
The UK has had the worst outbreak in Europe, with 528 cases reported, including two deaths and 54 new cases just this week.
That's according to the latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Health officials are investigating three clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis, and say the evidence so far points towards a possible connection with imported eggs.
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However, the investigation remains ongoing and there is currently no evidence that UK-produced eggs are responsible for the outbreak.
The cases have been concentrated particularly in England, with the North East, London and Yorkshire and Humber among the areas affected by one of the main clusters.
Many infections appear to have been associated with the patients dining out somewhere before falling ill.
According to the BBC, other cases have been reported across Europe, with one in Denmark, two in Austria, four in France, six in Germany, 15 in Belgium and 106 in the Netherlands, with the UK far exceeding them all.
Initial investigations in the Netherlands have pointed to chicken meat being the potential source, rather than eggs.
What is salmonella?
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning, with symptoms including diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.
For most people, these symptoms resolve within a few days, although the infection can occasionally become more serious, particularly for young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
There has been three clusters of different strains involved with the infections so far, which are genetically different but are part of a wider family of salmonella enteritidis.
The three strains are referred to as t5.9411, t5.9765 and t0.24068
305 cases of the illness, and one of the deaths, have been linked to the t5.9411 cluster in England.
There have been 182 cases linked to the t0.24068 cluster and 41 cases and one death linked to the t5.9765 cluster.
According to ITV, Hannah Charles, the epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: "We continue to work closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other public health partners to investigate these salmonella clusters.
"Our investigation to date indicates a link to imported eggs, however, this investigation remains ongoing.
"We will continue to follow up cases and investigate any further common sources if they come to light.
"It is important to emphasise that the overall risk to the public remains low.
"In England, all salmonella samples from patients seen in hospitals or primary care are routinely analysed using whole genome sequencing, helping us identify and investigate potential outbreaks quickly."
Expert advice on eggs
Penelope Henderson is Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) and Children’s Nutritionist at Nutrition 2 Nourish & Flourish, and she told FOODbible that people should stay calm following the news, as well as recalls of berries and alfalfa sprouts in the US: "Food recalls can sound alarming, but they don't mean we suddenly need to be frightened of eating eggs, berries or other nutritious foods."
"The important thing is to check whether a specific product you have is affected and follow the official recall advice.
"For UK consumers, I'd follow Food Standards Agency advice, for eggs, choose British Lion stamped eggs as this provides additional food safety assurance," she added.
Professor Ian Young, chief scientific adviser at the FSA, said: “Our food safety advice remains the same: eggs that are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not present a food safety risk.
"Infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only eat raw or lightly cooked eggs if they carry the British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid In Britain scheme.
"This advice does not apply to those who are severely immunocompromised and require medically supervised diets, who should continue to follow individual medical advice.
"If you’re eating out or buying food that contains eggs, you may not know if these carry the British Lion mark or are Laid In Britain assured.
"If this is the case, when eating out the safest approach for vulnerable people is to ensure they’re thoroughly cooked and to avoid dishes containing raw or lightly cooked egg, such as mousses, fresh mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.
"As with any foodborne illness, good hygiene remains your best protection: store and cook food according to the packet instructions, wash your hands thoroughly before handling food and always after handling raw meat, poultry and eggs."
Jen Thomas