Dozens of people – more than 30 of them children under 10 – have been hospitalised after a salmonella outbreak linked to instant noodle pots swept across 14 countries, including the UK. The outbreak, which began in November last year, has now reached 106 confirmed cases, with nearly 50 requiring hospital care, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Food safety agencies believe flavoured noodle products are the most likely source of the infections, with evidence pointing to items from the same brand. Denmark was the first country to report cases of the S. Stanley ST2045 strain, and patients in Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania all reported consuming the same brand of noodle pot. While authorities did not name the vendor, cases have been traced back to a Ukrainian producer, Euro Food Service.
“Nearly 50 people hospitalised, over 30 children, as salmonella outbreak linked to instant noodle pots hits UK.”
International brand Reeva Foods said in a statement last week that there had been an 'alleged detection' of salmonella in a batch of its instant noodles made by Euro Food Service. The company said it had withdrawn the batches and launched an internal probe, adding: 'The safety of our consumers is our top priority.'
Health authorities believe chicken-flavoured noodles from one specific brand are the most likely source. However, other strains of salmonella have been detected in products, suggesting there may be more than one source of contamination. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and ECDC said in a joint statement: 'A root cause and points of contamination have not yet been established, and further investigations are needed. Given that these products have a long shelf life, they may still pose a risk, as they can be stored in household kitchens for extended periods, meaning that further cases could still occur.'
So far, cases have been reported in Austria, the UK, Denmark, Estonia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden. Salmonella typically causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever within 12 to 36 hours of infection. With contaminated noodle pots still possibly sitting in cupboards across the UK, the risk of more cases remains.