Health chiefs warn tomatoes linked to multi-country Salmonella outbreak
European agencies identify cherry tomatoes from Sicily as a vehicle for rare Salmonella strains that have sickened dozens, including nearly 30 in the UK
Health authorities have issued an urgent warning after investigations linked a multi-country outbreak of salmonella to contaminated tomatoes, including cherry tomatoes produced in Sicily, Italy, officials and European agencies said.
Public-health bodies have identified infections with two uncommon strains of the bacteria, Salmonella Blockley and Salmonella Strathcona, in people across Europe. Nearly 30 people in the United Kingdom have been reported sick in the outbreak, and European agencies say 289 confirmed cases have been identified across 16 countries since January 2023.
Testing by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2023 and 2024 found that cherry tomatoes from Sicily were the vehicle of infection for at least some of the cases, prompting the Italian Ministry of Health to set up a targeted sampling and testing plan. The plan required local health authorities to perform sampling of two cherry tomato varieties sold in Italy, with at least one sampling to be completed by the end of 2024.
The outbreak has affected multiple countries to varying degrees. Italy has reported 78 patients, and cases have also been recorded in Germany, Austria and France. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and EFSA said nine European countries reported 29 cases of Salmonella Strathcona since January 2025. Health authorities in the United Kingdom said salmonella cases rose in the first three months of 2025 compared with the same period in previous years.
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that typically inhabits the guts of farm animals and is most commonly associated with meat, eggs and poultry. Infection generally causes gastrointestinal illness—diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever—within 12 to 72 hours after exposure. Most cases resolve within a few days, but the infection can be severe or life-threatening for young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Severe illness may require hospital treatment because of dehydration.
Research cited by health agencies has suggested that the texture of tomatoes may make them more prone to hosting bacteria and that the risk is heightened because tomatoes are often eaten raw; cooking would usually kill most pathogens. Officials have urged consumers, retailers and food businesses to follow standard food-safety practices, including thorough washing of produce and prompt refrigeration, while further testing continues.
Italian authorities implemented enhanced surveillance and sampling in response to the EFSA findings, and national and international bodies continue to trace distribution networks to identify the sources of contaminated lots. National public-health agencies, along with EFSA and the ECDC, are sharing laboratory and epidemiological data to map links between cases and to guide control measures.
Health agencies advising the public emphasise that while the numbers of confirmed cases are significant and the strains involved are uncommon, cooking produce and maintaining good kitchen hygiene reduce risk. People who develop symptoms consistent with salmonella infection—such as profuse diarrhea, high fever, severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration—are advised to seek medical attention.
Investigations are ongoing. Authorities said they will provide further updates as sampling and laboratory results become available and as traceback work clarifies distribution and supply-chain details for implicated tomato products.