Experts have urged the government to reveal the source of contaminated eggs that led to a major outbreak of deadly salmonella that killed one Briton and sickened 200.
Officials have revealed that the wave of illness is linked to eggs imported from abroad, but have not yet specified where.
Meanwhile, health chiefs in Belgium today announced they are investigating a similar outbreak of salmonella on a poultry farm, which is believed to have affected 300 people, and are examining contaminated eggs shipped to nine countries.
However, Britain is not yet listed as one of the affected countries Polandwhich supplies eggs to Great Britain.
The government was previously warned about the dangers of imported eggs in a major report published earlier this year by industry experts, which highlighted the ‘significant’ safety risks of importing eggs from countries such as Poland and Russia. Ukraine.
Although most eggs on supermarket shelves are produced in Britain, increasing quantities are being shipped in from overseas, where farmers are using practices banned in Britain.
Data shows that egg imports into Britain have increased by 60 percent since 2021. Last year alone, exports from Ukraine increased by 65 percent.
Paul Wigley, professor of animal microbial ecosystems at the University of Bristol, told the Daily Mail that the source of the contaminated eggs “should be public information.”
British health chiefs must tackle dangerous imported eggs and reveal the countries behind any deadly outbreaks, experts say
‘If necessary, import restrictions should be imposed.’
Professor Wigley added that non-British eggs come from a ‘lower standard’.
“An egg produced in Britain will come from a chicken that has been vaccinated against Salmonella,” he said.
‘Each flock is tested for Salmonella approximately three to four times every two years. It is extremely unlikely that you will get Salmonella from a British egg; the risk is virtually zero.”
Other experts have told the Mail that British food safety officials “will know where the contaminated eggs come from” but are “unlikely to reveal it.”
So far, 199 cases from the current outbreak have been confirmed in England, six in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
The specific strain identified is Salmonella Enteritidis, which is common in poultry and eggs.
More than a third of those affected required hospital treatment, while two developed potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said, and one died.
The UKHSA confirmed yesterday that those affected had become ill after eating in pubs and restaurants.
Five unnamed food businesses have been identified where two or more of those affected had reported visiting in the week before developing symptoms.
Official guidelines state that salmonella is usually contracted by eating contaminated food. In addition to eggs, this includes poultry, meat, raw fruit and vegetables and unpasteurized dairy products.
Cooking food thoroughly usually destroys the pathogen. Therefore, runny yolks are at greater risk.
The disease usually causes symptoms such as fever and vomiting, which disappear within a few days. But in rare cases it can be fatal, with babies, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems being most at risk.
In March, the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) warned the government that the public may be exposed to ‘significant’ risks from importing eggs from elsewhere in Europe.
In its report, titled Shell Shocked, the council found that there has been a rise of 600 million eggs imported into Britain since 2021, largely due to rising intakes from Ukraine and Poland.
They raised particular concerns about Ukraine’s use of battery cages – small enclosures made entirely of wire and banned in Britain since 2012 – on its chicken farms.
The BEIC said receiving imported eggs from Ukraine risked ‘undermining the integrity of the UK egg market’ and ‘raising significant food safety, economic, ethical and reputational concerns’.
They added: ‘The principle is simple: if a production system is not legal in Britain, its products should not enter the UK market, nor should food produced to lower food safety standards.’
Furthermore, the report warned: ‘Importing eggs… could expose the British public to potential risks including Salmonella, chemical residues and eggs produced in conventional ‘battery cages’.
BEIC chief executive Nick Allen added: ‘It is deeply concerning that imported eggs are once again under scrutiny due to a serious outbreak of Salmonella.
“We have repeatedly raised our concerns about the risks associated with imported eggs and egg products to the government, most recently through our Shell Shocked report.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Coles, from the UK’s Egg Information Service, told the Mail today that people have the right to know where their eggs come from, especially in the event of an outbreak.
“We have been calling on the government for some time to protect British consumers by banning imported eggs,” he said.
‘But in the meantime, you can check if your eggs are British by looking for the British Lion mark.’
Jacquelyn McCormick, Head of Incidents at the FSA, said: ‘We are working closely with the UK Health Security Agency and other partners to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis.
‘The exact cause has not yet been identified, but research to date has suggested there may be links to eggs imported from outside Britain and used mainly by food service and catering businesses such as restaurants or cafes.
‘There is no evidence that eggs produced in the UK are affected.
‘While research continues, our advice on eating eggs remains the same. Eggs that are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not pose a food safety risk.
‘Infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only eat liquid or raw eggs if they have a British Lion quality mark or have been produced under the Laid in Britain Egg Assurance Scheme. This advice does not apply to people who have severe immunocompromised illness and require a medically supervised diet.’
The outbreak comes at the same time Belgium is battling its own Salmonella spread linked to eggs.
About 300 people – who are as young as one and as old as 96 – are said to be sick, up from 236 in May.
Laerco BV, a Belgian egg producer, issued a second revocation and recall of eggs in August, following the first in May.
The eggs are also said to have been distributed to France, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands.
A major outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to eggs from Poland was observed between 2017 and 2020.
Nearly 1,000 cases of Salmonella have been identified, most of which were found in Britain.
