Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea in humans. Statistics that have now been published show that these pathogens were the cause of food recalls in 35 cases last year.
The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) has published its annual statistics for 2023 on the portal “www.lebensmittelwarning.de”. As stated in a press release, salmonella is a common cause of food recalls.
More than 300 recalls
The federal states and the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) published 308 recalls in 2023 on the joint portal “www.lebensmittelwarning.de”.
In almost a third, microbiological contamination was the reason for the warning. Salmonella was once again the most common cause, with a total of 35 reports.
Salmonella are bacteria whose metabolic products can cause acute intestinal inflammation, known as salmonellosis, in humans, reports the BVL.
A typical salmonella infection manifests itself through symptoms such as nausea, possibly vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea. These symptoms can last for several days. The disease usually clears up after a few days, even without medical treatment.
Especially in small children and older people, diarrhea can quickly lead to life-threatening dehydration of the body or a general infection of the body. Therefore, in these cases, you should consult a doctor immediately.
Microbiological contaminants
“Last year, foods were recalled 102 times due to microbiological contamination,” explains Friedel Cramer, President of the BVL. In addition to bacteria such as salmonella, listeria or E. coli, the causes include mold and viruses.
These microorganisms can already occur in living livestock and then enter the food chain via the slaughter process, raw milk, etc. Food can also become contaminated during harvesting, manufacturing and processing.
More warning reasons
Other warning reasons include exceeding limit values, unacceptable ingredients, allergens and foreign bodies.
“The person who produces or sells the food is primarily responsible for ensuring that food is harmless to health,” explains Cramer.
“Food that does not meet legal requirements and is deemed unsafe must be removed from the market.”
Even the slightest consultations are discovered
While there has been a steady increase in reports of recalls in recent years – 2020 (273), 2021 (282), 2022 (311) – the number of reports in 2023 is comparable to the previous year.
“The consistently high number shows that companies in Central Europe are complying with their legal reporting obligations. “They now see public recalls as part of responsible management that demonstrates trustworthiness,” says Dr. Andrea Luger, Head of the Food Safety Department at BVL.
Nowadays, thanks to constantly improved analysis and testing methods, even the slightest contamination is discovered. (ad)