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Salmonella Outbreak in Europe Traced to Flavoured Instant Noodles

Unresolved contamination sources and the products' long shelf life mean more cases remain possible

Overview

  • The outbreak, which began in November, has produced 106 confirmed Salmonella Stanley ST2045 infections across 14 European countries and about 49 hospital admissions.
  • Laboratory testing found the outbreak strain in chicken‑flavoured and hot‑chicken‑flavoured instant noodle packets recovered in Germany and Lithuania.
  • Traceability work linked the contaminated batches to a single Ukrainian manufacturer, Euro Food Service, and the affected brand has withdrawn implicated lots and launched internal testing.
  • Authorities have activated cross‑border response steps including case interviews, whole‑genome sequencing shared via EpiPulse, and national recalls to remove products from shelves.
  • Children are heavily affected — roughly two‑thirds of hospitalised patients are under 10 — and health officials warn that unopened packets in home pantries could still cause new cases so consumers should follow cooking instructions or discard recalled batches.