Salmonella and Campylobacter rise triggers FSA action

The food standards agency (FSA) expressed concern about the growing number of Salmonella and campilobacter infections.

FSA said that recent data confirmed the alleged threshold violations for Salmonella and Campylobacter. Investigations to identify related reasons continue.

As part of the monitoring of food disease in the UK, the FSA has thresholds for four pathogenic microorganisms. In March, threshold values ​​for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria Monocytogenes and E. Coli O157 (STEC) were updated using the data provided by public health agencies. The efforts to recall the STEC threshold continue to enable other E. coli strains.

The updated limits are based on laboratory confirmed reports from fecal and nasal samples, while the previous ones were based on confirmed laboratory reports from only feces.

Actions on food infections
The old thresholds amounted to 71,300 laboratory reports per year in the UK for Campylobacter, from 8,500 to 9500 for Salmonella, from 800 to 1500 for E. Coli O157 and from 150 to 250 for Listeria. New restrictions use bets on 100,000 population.

The indicators of the British laboratory in 2024 confirmed that Campylobacter and Salmonella cases exceeded new thresholds. The indicators of the Listeria Monocytogenes and the STEC O157 were below the revised levels of action.

Updated threshold values ​​will be published in the next annual FSA report and accounts. The results of the investigations will be discussed at a meeting of the board of directors in March 2026.

At a meeting in epidemiology of the FoodBorne Infection Group (EFIG) group, in August, the potential reasons for the rise in Campylobacter and Salmonella were considered. Efig is a multi-aggregate group of scientific experts. By mid -October, the group will make its recommendations.

Other studies on the level of food disease are ongoing. One of them analyzes the data on admission to the hospital to see if ethnicity or economic deprivation is related to hospitalization indicators of food diseases and hypersensitivity to food.

The Scientific Council and the Advisory Committee on Microbiological Safety of Food products (ACMSF) consider why the levels of food diseases remain high among the population as a whole.

FSA updates Listeria management for hospitals and vulnerable consumers, which will be completed by the beginning of the next year, and also considers measures to control the STEC policy in food.

Infosan problems
FSA also expressed concern about the risk of constant functioning of the Infosan (WHO) (WHO) (WHO) Infosan (international network of food security authorities).

Infosan and other networks that have faced serious problems with resources over the past year. Infosan provides a cross -border connection with the risks of food safety, and the secretariat coordinates multi -line answers to emergency situations in the field of food safety.

FSA said that any violations on the network can affect the agency’s ability to effectively manage incidents and outbreaks of food safety.

The FSA helped to contribute to the need for sustainable financing, and, by the same, the remaining Infosan resources should be protected until the end of 2027, although this still means a low resource of the secretariat.

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