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02.10.2024 - Foods

International outbreak of foodborne infections due to Salmonella Umbilo

In September 2024, an international outbreak of Salmonella Umbilo in Germany, Austria, and Denmark was identified. Salmonella Umbilo is a rare serovar of Salmonella. The outbreak resulted in 98 confirmed cases in Germany (as of 24 September 2024). The conducted surveys provided clear indications that arugula must be considered as a possible vehicle for the outbreak. In Austria, Salmonella Umbilo has been detected in samples of arugula from Italy. It can therefore be assumed that the cases of illness in the three countries were caused by contaminated arugula. Subsequently, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) published warnings about the risk of contaminated foods.

Due to the current outbreak, we would like to provide you with important information about Salmonella below. 

General Information and Origin:

Salmonella are bacteria of the genus Salmonella, which are spread worldwide and can be transmitted to humans through contaminated food or animals. They are a common cause of gastrointestinal diseases, which manifest themselves with symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Most infections occur through the consumption of raw or inadequately heated food, where especially meat, eggs, or contaminated vegetables are significant carriers. Carriers of Salmonella include poultry, pigs, but also reptiles, and cattle can be affected. Plant foods such as herbs and spices (e.g., paprika and pepper), leafy vegetables… can also be contaminated with Salmonella. 

It is known that humans shed the bacteria through feces during a salmonella infection and also for a long time afterward. Individuals who shed Salmonella must not be entrusted with the production and handling of perishable food because otherwise, with inadequate personal hygiene, there can be a transmission to food. 

Although there has been a significant decline in reported cases over more than two decades, Salmonella remains among the most common causes of foodborne illnesses. Salmonella in food is inherently undesirable. The consumption of salmonella-contaminated, ready-to-eat food is classified as a health hazard. Particularly in young children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems, such infections can have severe consequences, including death. 

To prevent foodborne illnesses, it is advisable to observe several precautions. These include thoroughly cooking and cooling food, hygienic food preparation and storage, and regular hand-washing.

Important Causes of Contaminations: 

• Use of contaminated raw materials (e.g., eggs, meat, spices…)
• insufficient cooking of food
• Cross-contamination between raw and processed foods due to insufficient separation between clean and unclean areas or steps (transmission via contaminated utensils, devices, hands…)
• Poor personal hygiene of Salmonella carriers 

Growth Conditions: 

• Temperature: Growth at 7-50°C
• pH Value: Growth at 4.0 – 9.0
• aw Value: Growth at min. 0.94
• Oxygen Requirement: facultatively anaerobic

At what temperatures are these microorganisms killed?

Heating to +72°C for at least two minutes or an equally effective process can be assumed to result in the killing of these bacteria. In food products, it should be noted that the temperature-time combination must be reached at the core of the product for the safe eradication of the bacteria. 

Salmonella Testing:

We offer rapid and reliable Salmonella testing. Besides using ISO methods, our laboratory regularly applies an accredited rapid method. This takes only 1 day, compared to the 3-5 days required for ISO methods. 

In general, we offer the following rapid methods in our laboratory: 

Parameters                      Test Duration                      Test Principle                      Accreditation

Salmonella                        1 Day                              RT-PCR                                      Yes

TentaSpeed Listeria                6 Hours                              RT-PCR                                    No

monocytogenes/

Listeria spp                                                                                          

Listeria monocytogenes          1 Day                              RT-PCR                          Yes

/ Listeria spp

Cronobacter spp.                     1 Day                          RT-PCR                      Yes

STEC/ VTEC                   1 Day                       RT-PCR                      Yes

Campylobacter spp.           2 Days                        Cultural           Yes

Presumptive Bacillus cereus  1 Day                          Cultural          Yes

Yeasts and Molds           3 Days                                  Cultural                      Yes

Lactic Acid Bacteria        2 Days                  Cultural                    Yes

Pseudomonads               2 Days                  Cultural      Yes

Coagulase-positive        1 Day                    Cultural      Yes

Staphylococci

Legionella                  6 Hours      RT-PCR   No

Identification /    2 to 24 Hours           Maldi-Tof          Yes

Strain Comparison  

Ask our experts about topics related to Salmonella. We provide you with competent advice and deliver quick and reliable results. 

For further inquiries, our customer advisors or Dirk Lorenz are available to you by phone at 0781/96947-23 or via email at dirk.lorenz@bav-institut.de.