A multinational salmonella outbreak in Europe has killed more than 100 people.
There were 106 confirmed cases of Salmonella Stanley between November 2025 and June 2026. It has been reported in 13 European countries and the UK. The outbreak primarily affected children and adolescents, with 49 people requiring hospitalization.
The UK has the most patients with 29, followed by Lithuania with 23, Germany with 14, and Denmark with 10. Patient ages in the UK range from less than 1 year to 84 years. In Lithuania it is 2 to 20 years old, in Germany it is 3 to 26 years old and in Denmark it is 5 to 22 years old.
The outbreak was first detected in Denmark and reported to the European Infectious Disease Surveillance Portal (EpiPulse) in late March.
Not following label directions
Epidemiological studies have shown that patients in Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania consumed Reeva brand flavored instant noodle products before becoming ill.
Ulrich Pinstrup from the Danish Veterinary Food, Rural Affairs and Fisheries Agency said: “Flavored noodles are a popular quick snack and we are experiencing a trend, especially among children and teenagers, of eating the product directly from the packaging. This is absolutely not recommended, as the product is not yet ready to eat.”
The Latvian Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SKPC) said there were three cases in elementary school students in April and May. They consumed Reeva instant noodles raw, without following the manufacturer’s instructions and without adding boiling water.
In Germany and Lithuania, the outbreak strain was detected in one brand of chicken-flavored and hot chicken-flavored noodle products. In Lithuania, testing of different batches of the same brand found Salmonella Richmond and Salmonella Newport. In Estonia, chicken-flavored noodle products tested positive for Salmonella Senftenberg.
Ukraine Link
Reeva Instant Noodle Dish Chicken Flavor 60g has been recalled in Germany. The affected lot is L0126 with an expiration date of April 5, 2027. SLCO GmbH & Co. According to KG, an investigation by Saxony authorities found Salmonella Stanley in the products.
The product was traced to a producer in Ukraine. This points to a common source of contamination at the production plant level, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said. Other strains of salmonella were detected, suggesting more than one source of contamination may be involved.
In most of the affected countries, there were reports of chicken consumption, with processed products frequently consumed, including nuggets, kebab meat, sausages, and ready-to-eat foods.
The Ukrainian producer conducted an internal investigation into the contamination. However, the ingredient used as a flavoring was tested negative for salmonella.
ECDC said additional cases may arise because the products have a long shelf life and may be stored in homes for long periods of time.
