Germany has reported a decline in outbreaks for 2023, but more people were sick than in the previous year.
In 2023, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) received 190 reports of foodborne outbreaks that caused 2,248 illnesses, 283 hospitalizations, and 13 deaths.
In 2022, 211 outbreaks were recorded. At least 1,488 illnesses, 268 hospitalizations, and eight deaths were linked to them.
In 2023, Salmonella was the most common cause of outbreaks, followed by Campylobacter. The pathogen was unknown for 19 epidemics.
Large norovirus berry outbreak
A total of 18 outbreaks met the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) criteria for outbreaks with high evidence. In these incidents, a link between food and cases was considered sufficiently proven. In 14 outbreaks, evidence came from the detection of the pathogen in the food or its ingredients. The pathogen was detected in the food chain or the environment in two outbreaks. In another two outbreaks, a link between illness and suspected food was established through an epidemiological study.
Outbreaks with high evidence resulted in 925 illnesses, 68 hospitalizations, and three deaths.
Salmonella was behind 10 of these outbreaks. Three were caused by Salmonella Typhimurium, two each by Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Senftenberg, and one each by Salmonella Adelaide and Salmonella Oranienburg. A total of 146 people fell sick, and one died.
Norovirus caused four outbreaks, with 678 illnesses. Bacillus cereus was linked to two, with 75 cases. Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes each caused one outbreak, with 23 and three cases, respectively. In the Listeria outbreak, two people died.
The largest outbreak, with 538 reported cases, was caused by norovirus. One sick person had to be hospitalized; there were no deaths. The outbreak occurred in several catering establishments and was linked to the consumption of a dessert with a berry mix. Berries came from Ukraine, Turkey, Poland, and Serbia and were packaged in Belgium. Another norovirus outbreak, with 65 sick people, was caused by yogurt made with frozen, unheated raspberries.
The second largest outbreak, with 70 cases, was caused by Bacillus cereus. It was linked to cooked rice.
Details on high-evidence outbreaks
Four outbreaks were caused by foods in the category “vegetables and vegetable products” and three each in the category “cereal products/rice/seeds/legumes” and “pork products”.
Seven outbreaks affected several federal states, and the causative foods were consumed at various locations in Germany. Two of these outbreaks also affected other European countries.
Four outbreaks were traced back to exposure in the catering industry. A “Hospital/medical facility” and “take-away/fast food snack bar” were named as places of consumption in two outbreaks.
Cross-contamination, inadequate heat treatment, failure to comply with storage conditions, and an infected employee contributed to outbreaks.
For 172 outbreaks, the evidence for a link between food and the illnesses was low.
Campylobacter caused 42 of these, with 122 cases. Salmonella Enteritidis caused 28 with 250 illnesses and four deaths. Salmonella Typhimurium was behind 17 with 128 infections. Other Salmonella types were linked to 10 outbreaks with 83 cases.
Three Listeria outbreaks affected 25 people, with six deaths. Eight Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) outbreaks had 22 cases. Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus enterotoxin, Cryptosporidium, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis E were also listed as being behind a few outbreaks.
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