According to report, two people have died in Italy, the fatalities linked to broccoli and sausage sandwiches from a food truck.
This outbreak follows a similar botulism incident last month in Sardinia, where eight people fell ill after consuming tainted guacamole at a festival.
Associated with canned goods or preserved produce that has been improperly sealed or stored, outbreaks of botulism have been rare and isolated until now. The recent examples are raising concerns, however, due to the severity of the disease, where toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria attack the nervous system.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says the fatality rate can be around 10 per cent without treatment.
Are these isolated incidents, or do they highlight emerging food safety challenges in Europe?
The European Union (EU) is known for its high food safety standards that cover every stage of the food chain, from production and food processing to packaging, labelling and transport controls.
Robust monitoring systems and rigorous checks ensure that businesses fully comply with EU food safety laws, with networks in place to react if a risk to public health is identified.
Although risks can be managed, outbreaks of food poisoning still crop up, and can be fatal as we’ve seen this year.
And despite stringent controls, data suggest that current safeguards are falling short. A 2024 report from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control saw a significant increase in severe food-borne illnesses across the EU/EEA.
Meanwhile, the European Union One Health 2023 Zoonoses report found that Salmonella was the leading cause, contributing to 1,115 outbreaks that affected 9,210 people, hospitalized 1,726, and claimed 16 lives.
Given the strict food hygiene protocols in Europe, why is there such a marked increase in severe food poisoning outbreaks?
Modern food production techniques could be one contributing factor behind the rise in food poisoning in Europe.
According to Joshua Schwartz of Viking Pure Solutions, we often underestimate the risks associated with fruit and vegetables.
“Industrial farming techniques and climate change mean that vegetables are increasingly carriers of bacteria like e-Coli,” he explains.
“Fresh produce is more likely to be used raw in salads and other dishes, and flies under the radar of the strict regulations that apply to meat and dairy,” he continues.
Unless the chain of infection is broken during the food preparation stage, pathogens hiding in fruits and vegetables can easily make their way onto the plates of consumers.
Washing produce today is about much more than removing grit or plant material. New hygiene standards that recognize the increased risk stemming from fresh produce is one way to battle the rising rates of foodborne infections in Europe.
