19 April update: Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to chocolate products

The outbreak is characterised by an unusually high proportion of children being hospitalised, some with severe clinical symptoms such as bloody diarrhoea. Based on interviews with patients and initial analytical epidemiological studies, specific chocolate products have been identified as the likely route of infection. Affected cases have been identified through advanced molecular typing techniques. As this method of testing is not routinely performed in all countries, some cases may be undetected.

Product recalls have been launched globally and examples of these can be found on several countries web sites including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and the UK. The recalls aim to prevent the consumption of products potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Further investigations are being conducted by public health and food safety authorities in countries where cases are reported, to identify the cause and the extent of the contamination, and to ensure contaminated products are not put on the market.  

ECDC and EFSA published a rapid outbreak assessment on 12 April 2022. The second strain of monophasic S. Typhimurium in non-human samples (cluster 2), which is mentioned in the published ROA, was found matching with 23 human cases from Belgium (n=5), France (n=5), Germany (n=4), Ireland (n=1), the Netherlands (n=1), and the UK (n=7). 

Questions regarding ongoing product recalls should be addressed to national food safety authorities.

Number of confirmed and probable cases* with monophasic S. Typhimurium infection (cluster 1) by country, EU/EEA and the UK, as of 19 April 2022

*According to the European outbreak case definition