Salmonella: for many, a name associated with raw chicken and food poisoning. But did you know that this bacteria comes in more than 2,500 varieties? Behind the well-known culprits such as Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis is a world of lesser-known serotypes that are appearing with increasing frequency. What does this mean for our health and what can we do about it? Salmonella remains a global health risk. In recent years, the number of reports has increased significantly. In Poland alone, there were 1005 reports of infections. According to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), about 650 additional reports have been recorded over the past five years. The increase in serotypes such as S. Enteritidis (+250 reports), S. Infantis (+200 reports) and S. Newport (+50 reports) are particularly noteworthy. In contrast, while S. Typhimurium showed a decrease of 80 reports, other serotypes are thus receiving increasing attention.
The emergence of serotypes such as S. Infantis and S. Newport may indicate changes in food production and distribution, as well as improved analytical methods that reveal more variants.
About 600 million chickens are slaughtered annually in the Netherlands, 80% of which are exported. In 2020, the Netherlands was the second largest exporter of poultry meat after Poland. The Netherlands also imports more than 440,000 tons of chicken meat annually, mainly from Germany and Belgium, but also from Brazil, Thailand and Ukraine.
In the first six months of 2023, Dutch poultry meat imports were up 12%. In particular, imports from Ukraine increased significantly, doubling to 52,000 tons. This may be because they were given full access to the European market as support for the war. The number of reports in RASFF from Ukraine increased from 6 to 53. A possible cause of this may be other suppliers entering the European market or food production and processing in Ukraine has been disrupted by the war.
Thus, the source of Salmonella contamination is often in our food. Besides poultry meat (>1550 reports), herbs and spices (±400) are mainly reported. Especially black pepper, sesame seeds and products made from sesame (sesame oil and tahini) are often problematic foods in which Salmonella is more frequently reported. Other products such as nuts, vegetables (lettuce, Brussels sprouts, chili peppers), cheese (feta and mozzarella) and even confectionery such as nougat are also mentioned in the reports, but significantly less.
Reducing the risk of Salmonella requires a combination of awareness, regulation and innovation in food safety. Here are some tips:
The increase in reports on Salmonella shows that food safety remains a dynamic issue. With the emergence of new serotypes, it is important to stay sharp on the risks in the food chain. Research, regulation and awareness can help combat this invisible enemy.
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A Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs from a Belgian poultry farm has now made at least 300 people ill. The incident once again shows the importance of systematic monitoring and timely laboratory testing throughout the egg supply chain.
Analyzing bacteria in food is crucial to ensuring food safety. Microbiological analyses help producers, regulators and researchers understand whether food is safe for consumption, and what types of bacteria are present. In this article, we explain what techniques are used, the advantages and disadvantages, and how to interpret the results.
Challenge tests are laboratory tests in which a known number of microorganisms (such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, yeasts or fungi) are deliberately added to a food product. The product is then stored under realistic storage conditions (such as temperature, packaging and time) to observe whether and how quickly the microorganism grows, survives or dies. They aim to assess the microbiological safety or shelf life of a specific product in its real matrix and packaging. Challenge tests are best known in the context of Listeria control but have numerous other applications and assets.
