Salmonella outbreak in 8 countries, Italian “rucola” under investigation

As indicated in the RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) notification from the European Commission, eight countries have been affected by salmonella poisoning: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Qatar, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. According to Lisa Barco, director of the National Salmonellosis Reference Centre of the Zooprophylactic Institute of Veneto (IZVE), several batches of Italian “rucola” – a specific variety of salad – have been selected for detailed analysis, following the discovery that the crop may have been a vehicle for bacteria present in the irrigation water, fertilizers and insect pests that can potentially contaminate the soil. The experts concur that thorough food washing is a productive method for curbing bacterial contamination, particularly in the case of raw consumables.