A new food scare shakes Europe: a strain of Salmonella Strathcona has caused hundreds of cases of poisoning in 17 European Union countries and beyond. The investigations, conducted by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), point towards a common origin: Sicilian cherry tomatoes.
According to data released by ECDC, between January 2023 and September 2025, 437 cases were confirmed in Europe, with Italy, Germany and Austria among the most affected countries. Infections have also been reported in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, confirming a now global spread.
The investigation
The international investigation, which lasted almost three years, repeatedly identified tomatoes as a probable source of infection. The most recent analyses, conducted in Austria in 2025, tracked down the strain Strathcona precisely in cherry tomatoes grown in Sicily, confirming what already emerged in the previous outbreaks of 2023 and 2024.
In Italy, the health authorities have launched a national sampling plan on marketed tomatoes and a targeted control of agricultural companies. During inspections, the bacterium was found in a sample of irrigation water from a primary production site. A discovery that highlights the crucial role of the environment and agricultural practices in contamination.
According to the ECDC report, Italy has recorded 123 confirmed cases, followed by Germany (113) and Austria (76). France and the United Kingdom have counted dozens of infections, while in thirteen other European countries the cases remain under fifteen.
A persistent contamination
It is not the first time that Salmonella Strathcona has been associated with Sicilian tomatoes. Already in 2011, in Denmark, a similar outbreak was linked to the same bacterial strain. Since then, the microorganism has resurfaced several times, a sign of persistent contamination that is difficult to eradicate.
ECDC experts underline how the continuation of cases indicates a stable environmental source, perhaps linked to water management or irrigation methods. For this reason, they invite us to strengthen bacteriological controls during the harvest period and to improve the traceability of agricultural products along the entire supply chain.
What can we do
While waiting for the definitive results, the authorities recommend consumers to follow simple hygiene rules: wash fruit and vegetables carefully, avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen and always wash their hands before handling food.
Salmonella is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. It causes abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea, with symptoms that can appear within 48 hours of ingesting the contaminated food.
Experts reiterate that there is no general risk in consuming tomatoes, but that it is essential to strengthen surveillance and prevention to reduce the possibility of new episodes and protect public health across Europe.
