ECDC on Air - Episode 70 - Risk Wire - When Salmonella Crosses Borders

This is a third episode of our ECDC: On Air podcast sub-series - the "Risk Wire" - focusing on Risk Assessments ECDC publishes.

This time we look into a prolonged multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Strathcona has affected 17 European countries and has been ongoing since 2023, with more than 400 confirmed cases reported so far. Investigations have identified small tomatoes as the most likely vehicle of infection, highlighting the complexity of foodborne outbreaks and the role of the environment in food contamination.

In this episode, we talk to Dr Taina Niskanen, Expert in Food-, Waterborne and Zoonotic Diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and Dr Eleonora Sarno, scientific officer at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Together, they explain what Salmonella is, how it spreads, and the symptoms it can cause. They walk listeners through how the outbreak was detected and investigated across countries, how whole genome sequencing helps link human, food and environmental samples, and why collaboration between public health, food safety and environmental sectors is essential.

The episode also explores how ECDC and EFSA work with national authorities to track cases, trace food sources, and support control measures using a One Health approach.

Finally, the experts share practical food hygiene advice and explain what people can do at home to reduce the risk of infection.