The Food Standards Agency named Granja Avícola ‘El Angel’in Spain as being the likely source of salmonella-tainted eggs that are thought to have caused a trebling in Salmonella Enteritidis phage type (PT) 14b this year.
“It is often difficult to identify the exact cause of outbreaks of food-borne illness, but available evidence suggests that the increase in cases of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type (PT) 14b may be linked to an egg production premises in Spain,” said an agency statement.
The FSA said its joint investigation with Spanish authorities found the bacteria had been found in particular flock on the production holding. It added that Spanish authorities would no ensure that no further eggs from the infected flock would be distributed until the contamination had been eradicated.
Alerted
UK companies known to have received eggs from the infected flock have been alerted to ensure they do not place these eggs on the market or that they send them to an authorised establishment to be pasteurised. The body has also sent a letter to councils saying it had received confirmation from Spanish food safety officials of the contamination on 2 December.
“We have been informed that all eggs laid by the affected flock in question intended for human consumption will be heat treated in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1237/2007 which will ensure the Salmonella is destroyed,” said the FSA communication. “The affected batches can be identified by the letter E on the end of the production holding number.”
The alarm over the increased incidence of salmonella was raised by the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) when it revealed it had received reports of 443 cases of in 2009 compared to just 137 in the previous year. The two agencies also launched a probe into 14 infection clusters since August – involving 144 cases - to find out if there was a common source for the illnesses. All the clusters were associated with a number of catering establishments and one care home. During the care home outbreak, two elderly people died. Inquests have been ordered to find the cause of death after post-mortem results were “inconclusive”.