Norway Links Salmonella Outbreak to Spanish Cucumbers as Cases Total 72
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority, known as FHI, announced a connection on a recent Tuesday between the national salmonella outbreak and cucumbers imported from Spain. The outbreak has affected 72 people across the country since last October, and authorities say the episode is probably over. The clarification came after investigators traced the illness to a specific food source and confirmed the same salmonella subtype in related cases found in neighboring countries. Facts from ongoing investigations indicate a shared pathogen profile with similar incidents in the Netherlands and Sweden according to FHI reports.
Officials noted that in recent weeks there have been no new cases reported. This quiet period could suggest the contaminated product has been removed from the market and is no longer circulating among consumers. The FHI team emphasized that, because the cucumber product is no longer available in Norway, testing for the epidemic-causing bacteria could not be conducted on the item itself. Heidi Lange, a senior adviser at the agency, explained this limitation on the official site.
[Note to readers: The following paragraph has been rewritten to remove markup and maintain clarity. The core information remains the same as presented by health authorities.]
The total tally remains 72 confirmed cases, all occurring within a relatively short window. The peak of infections happened in the late months of October through early December, with the highest activity around weeks 45 and 46. Health authorities describe the cluster as a brief, intense flare of illness rather than a prolonged outbreak. The pattern underscores the importance of traceability and timely communication in food safety responses.
The institute is conducting a case-control study to compare the meals of those who fell ill with those of a randomly selected group of individuals who did not become ill. Early findings show that roughly nine in ten of the infected individuals reported eating cucumbers in the week before symptoms began. The ongoing investigation involves multiple partners, including municipal health officials, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, and the Veterinary Institute.
The investigation team highlights that the salmonella agona serovar is a relatively rare variant in both Norway and much of Europe. It has appeared in the country before, but typically as isolated incidents or in people linked to infections acquired abroad. This context helps explain why health authorities are pursuing a careful, evidence-based approach to determine whether a single product line caused the outbreak or if multiple factors played a role.
Spain Responds to Safety Signals
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, known as Aesan, stated that there has been no confirmation of official action requesting changes in consumer behavior. Aesan cautioned against unnecessary alarms while continuing to review available data.
As new information emerged from the Norwegian authorities, Aesan noted that the details reported through the European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, Rasff, were not yet conclusive or fully verified. In practical terms this means the outbreak could be linked to another food item, not solely the Spanish cucumbers.
Because the cucumbers are no longer circulating in Norway, FHI officials were unable to test the product to detect the specific bacteria directly. Heidi Lange, the agency’s senior adviser, reiterated this limitation on the official channel.
The Spanish agency has engaged the Warning and Emergency Coordination Center as well as regional authorities to pursue a traceability analysis should any food of Spanish origin be implicated in future safety checks. This proactive approach aims to clarify the supply chain and prevent similar incidents from reoccurring.