Urgent warning as tomatoes blamed for major Salmonella food poisoning outbreak – 29 UK cases confirmed
Health chiefs have sounded the alarm over a surge in potentially deadly salmonella linked to tomatoes, as another 50 people have been struck down after eating infected produce.
More than 100 people were sickened, with at least 14 hospitalised by two strains of the diarrhoea causing bacteria in 2024.
Now, officials have confirmed another 50 have been struck by the nasty bug, which in most extreme cases can require hospitalisation.
From January 2023, 289 confirmed cases have been identified across 16 European countries.
Nearly 30 people in the UK have now been sickened by the severe food poisoning outbreak, caused by the rare strains Salmonella Blockley and Salmonella Strathcona, which the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned is particularly severe.
Other affected countries include Italy, with 78 patients, Germany, Austria and France.
Testing carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2023 and 2024 has revealed that cherry tomatoes from Sicily in Italy were the vehicle of infection.
The Italian Ministry of Health implemented a sampling and testing plan to detect the bacteria in two varieties of cherry tomatoes sold in Italy, the plan required local health authorities to complete at least one sampling by the end of 2024.
The Italian Ministry of Health has implemented a sampling and testing plan to detect the bacteria in varieties of cherry tomatoes sold in Italy
Research has suggested that the texture of tomatoes can make them more prone to the bacteria and the risk increases as they are often eaten raw and not cooked, which would usually kill off any bugs.
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that infects the gut of farm animals—and typically affects meat, eggs and poultry.
It usually causes sickness and a fever that clears up in days, however, it can be fatal.
On average, it takes from 12 to 72 hours for the symptoms to develop after swallowing an infectious dose of salmonella.
Those most at risk at suffering severe illness from a salmonella infection include those with weakened immune systems such as children and the elderly.
If people become seriously ill, they may need hospital care because the dehydration caused by the illness can be life-threatening.
It comes as UKHSA data released earlier this year found salmonella cases have surged in the first three months of 2025, up on 2023 and 2024.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the EFSA, nine european countries have reported 29 cases of Salmonella Strathcona since January 2025.
