Multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis in chicken meat and chicken meat products

News story

Between January and October 2023, 14 EU/EEA countries, the UK and the US reported 335 cases related to this outbreak.

Chicken meat and chicken meat products (kebab) are the likely source of a multi-country outbreak caused by three types of Salmonella Enteritidis, according to EFSA and ECDC’s latest Rapid Outbreak Assessment.

Bacteria similar to those causing the outbreak have been detected in samples of chicken meat and chicken kebab. While food traceability data points to producers located in Poland (7 producers) and Austria (1 producer), no microbiological evidence of a contamination at their facilities has been found.

Scientists expect that new cases are likely to occur in this multi-country outbreak as the source has not yet been identified. EFSA and ECDC experts recommend further investigations to identify the potential locations within the chicken meat production chain where the contamination may have occurred.