At least one person has died and more than 200 children have been poisoned in an ongoing salmonella outbreak in the UK linked to cheap breaded chicken products. Since January 2020, 480 cases of Salmonella enteritidis have been recorded, with 44% affecting children aged 16 or under.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland have issued recalls for suspect processed chicken from supermarkets including Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi, and Iceland. Recent recalls include SFC Chicken Poppets and Take Home Boneless Bucket, and Vestey Foods Chick Inn 32 Jumbo Chicken Nuggets. Earlier recalls involved Lidl's Red Hen Breaded Chicken Nuggets, Aldi's Roosters Breaded Poppin Chicken, and Iceland's Chip Shop Curry Chicken Breast Toppers.
Investigations have traced the salmonella to Poland, with the FSA working to identify the specific farms involved. An FSA spokesperson said: “Investigations have been and continue to be undertaken back to farm level in Poland. While some batches share common food operators, more than one supplier and multiple farm-level producers have been identified.”
Public Health England (PHE) reported that over a third of cases required hospital treatment. Salmonella was a contributory cause of death in at least one case, with four additional deaths possibly linked. Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and fever. Vulnerable groups, such as children under five and the elderly, are at higher risk.
Colin Sullivan, the FSA's chief operating officer, advised: “Always take care when storing, handling and cooking frozen breaded chicken products. Check cooking instructions on packaging to ensure harmful bacteria are killed.”
