More than 500 people are sick in several European countries for two years as part of Salmonella outbreaks that are linked to sprouted Alfalfa seeds.
Between January 2023 and January 2025, 509 sick people were reported in 10 countries. The most affected nation was Norway, with 257 cases, followed by Sweden with 110 and Finland with 94.
Thirty people were sick in Germany, nine in the Netherlands, four in Denmark, three in France, and one person each in Belgium, Estonia and the United Kingdom.
Most cases, 336, were female and adults, but they vary in age from 1 to 90. Information about hospitalization was available for 100 cases, the majority of which was infected with Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type 36 and Salmonella Newport St 31. No deaths were reported.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that the outbreak includes eight Salmonella tribes, some of which are rarely seen in Europe. Serotypes with most cases are Salmonella Typhimurium with 246, followed by Salmonella Newport with 107, and Salmonella Enteritidis with 92. Other Salmonella types in the outbreak are Adelaide, Hvittingfoss, Richmond, Kinondoni and Kisarawe.
Outbreaks per country
Epidemiological examination, including entire genoom sequencing analysis and food tracing, pointed to a supplier in Italy who got seeds of three growers in the same region.
ECDC said that further research is needed to determine how seeds became contaminated and whether there was cross -contamination along the supply chain.
Authorities in affected countries have implemented control measures, including recordings and recall campaigns from investigated batches. This reduced reports considerably. However, various countries have detected new cases, indicating that infected seeds can still be in circulation.
The first outbreak took place in Germany in January 2023 caused by Salmonella Adelaide. Although a source was not identified during the first investigation, the outbreak tribe was later detected in broken seeds. In the fall of 2023, Finland reported an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis and the outbreak tribe was isolated from products consumed by patients.
Norway reported three outbreaks: Salmonella Typhimurium in May 2024, Salmonella Hvittingfoss in August 2024 and Salmonella Newport in October 2024. In August 2024, Sweden registered an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium.
Trace findings
Research into traceability pointed to 10 sprout products, including two without labeling information. A total of 13 sprout batches were identified. Seven sprout products were positive for different types of salmonella. These Salmonella-positive products were from six producers in five countries, with seeds that were traced back to the same supplier in Italy with a link to another supplier. Six of the seven positive products came from three growers in the same part of Italy.
In February 2025, local Italian authorities carried out official sampling at the seed supplier, but Salmonella was not detected in five samples taken from an Alfalfa seed batch. An audit was carried out in mid -February 2025 by the national Italian authorities at the supplier. In October 2023, an official check in the factory did not find non-compliance.
At the beginning of 2025, the food authority in Italy reported the identification of Alfalfa sprout products that are positive for Salmonella. Official samples were collected in November 2024 from an Italian sprout producer. Serotyping revealed the presence of Salmonella Richmond and Salmonella Kinondoni. However, these products have not been released on the market. The Sprout producer bought the seeds that were used for the sprouting of an Italian seed supplier. This batch contained organic seeds from another seed supplier.
“Further research is needed to assess the role of the environment in the sperm pollution at the level of the Teler level and the possible role of cross -berry measurements along the seed supply chain that contribute to the multi-rack. Cases can continue to act until the point where the seeds with salmonella were infected and can be properly identified and checked correctly, “said ECDC.
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