A salmonella outbreak traced to eggs has sickened more than 230 people in Belgium.
The Federal Food Safety Authority (FASFC) confirmed: food safety news The Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak sickened 236 people.
Patients’ ages range from less than 1 year to 96 years. They were sick between February 19, 2025 and May 11, 2026.
Earlier this month, Laerco BV announced a recall and recall of eggs with a specific code due to the possible presence of salmonella.
Affected codes are ‘2-BE-1073-01’, ‘2-BE-1073-02’, ‘2-BE-1073-03’, and ‘2-BE-1073-04’. The expiration date is May 8 to June 5, 2026.
Consumers are advised to return the relevant product to the location of sale for a refund.
Salmonella was found in dust samples taken from the Laerco BV chicken coop and subsequent analysis showed it to be the same type found in the patient.
The company has implemented the actions taken for positive Salmonella Enteritidis samples. This includes FASFC supervision, limited contact with flocks, facility cleaning and disinfection before introducing new flocks, and eggs undergoing heat treatment such as pasteurization before being placed on the market for human consumption.
Eggs were also distributed to France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, according to a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notice.
Previous egg development
In 2025, 773 food poisoning outbreaks were reported, sickening 3,375 people, 71 of whom required hospitalization.
In early 2025, Sciensano’s National Reference Center for Salmonella detected an increase in reports of Salmonella. FASFC, also known as AFSCA, the Flemish Department Zorg and the Belgian National Institute of Public Health Sciensano have launched an investigation to determine the origin.
The results showed that eggs caused the outbreak. Sciensano linked 67 cases of salmonellosis, mainly in Flanders, to the outbreak.
FASFC tracked the products and visited laying hen farms to take samples. The same type of Salmonella as the patient was found in this sample, confirming the suspected source. Depo-Ei CV retrieved and recovered eggs with specific codes and dates.
About Salmonella Infection
Food contaminated with salmonella typically does not look, smell or taste spoiled. Anyone can get sick from a salmonella infection. Infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for serious illness because their immune systems are weaker.
Anyone who eats the eggs involved and who develops symptoms of salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Diagnosing salmonellosis requires special testing, so sick people should tell their doctor about possible exposure to salmonella. Salmonella infection symptoms can be similar to other illnesses and often lead to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of salmonella infection may include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise healthy adults usually become sick for 4 to 7 days. However, in some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that hospitalization may be necessary.
People with weakened immune systems, such as older adults, children, pregnant women, and cancer patients, are more likely to develop serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions.
Some people become infected without feeling sick or showing any symptoms. However, they can still spread the infection to other people.
