A routine breakfast staple has become the focus of an urgent food safety response. Some affected products may still be sitting in household kitchens.
This is reported by Reuters, citing Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA).
Belgium has recorded its largest-ever salmonellosis outbreak, with the infection confirmed in 306 people. The cause was eggs from a poultry farm where specialists identified the same bacterial strain found in the patients.
Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA) believes the actual number of infections may exceed the official figures. Some people with mild symptoms or no symptoms at all may not have sought medical care or undergone testing.
Salmonellosis is relatively common in Belgium, but we have never had such a large cluster with so many people affected.
– spokesperson for Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain
However, no deaths linked to this salmonellosis outbreak have been recorded.
Eggs recalled and farm operations suspended
AFSCA detected the first cases of infection in May. The eggs from the affected batch were subsequently recalled from sale, and one poultry house in Flanders ceased operations.
As the number of patients grew, operations at the entire facility were suspended. A second egg recall was carried out on August 10, after which the birds at the farm were culled.
Potentially contaminated eggs may still be in homes
Approximately 2 million eggs that may have contained Salmonella bacteria were sold in Belgium and neighboring Luxembourg. Luxembourg’s health agency also withdrew potentially dangerous products from circulation.
AFSCA warned that some eggs from this batch may still be stored in people’s homes. Thoroughly cooking eggs reduces the risk of salmonellosis infection.