Vulnerable groups, including children under five and pregnant women, have been urged to avoid eating raw or runny eggs while dining out due to a Salmonella outbreak in the UK.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the urgent warning after one person died and more than 200 people fell ill from food poisoning. Health officials believe the outbreak is linked to contaminated eggs imported from outside the UK that are being used by restaurants, cafes, and takeaways.
Who is affected?
Pregnant women, people over 65, those with health conditions and young children have been told to avoid runny eggs and freshly-made products that might contain eggs, such as mayonnaise or soufflé. Well-cooked eggs in restaurants are safe to eat, the FSA says.
Salmonella cases have jumped in London, according to the UKHSA.
Official advice
FSA chief scientific adviser Ian Young said: "If people are eating out or consuming eggs or egg-containing products from cafes and restaurants then for those people in particular who are young, elderly, pregnant or vulnerable, it's important to make sure that any eggs or egg products that you consume in those settings have been very well cooked."
Salmonella is a bacteria that usually lives in the intestines of humans and animals. An infection can be caught by swallowing the bacteria, which happens when invisible traces of animal or human faeces contaminate what people eat, drink or touch. The bug generally causes stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting or fever.
Hospitalisations and investigation
In most cases people recover without medical help, but older people, babies and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk. More than a third of those affected (38%) in the outbreak were admitted to hospital, with two people developing potentially life-threatening blood stream infections.
Mr Young added that the FSA is working closely with the UKHSA and other agencies to investigate the outbreak. "The exact cause has not yet been identified, however, investigations so far have identified links to eggs imported from outside the UK, mainly used by food service and catering establishments such as restaurants or cafes, as a potential source," he said.
