Report on foodborne outbreaks in Germany

In the current report of the BVL (Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety) and the RKI (Robert Koch Institute) on food-borne outbreaks in Germany in 2019, bacterial infections are listed as the main cause.

Approximately 400 cases were reported to the authorities during the reporting period, involving nearly 2,000 people, 385 of whom had to be treated in hospitals and five of whom died.

Highest risk of foodborne disease from microbiological contamination

41% of the outbreaks could be attributed to an infection with the pathogenic germ Campylobacter, another third to a Salmonella infection. In the case of food-borne viruses, infections with noroviruses and hepatitis A pathogens were responsible for outbreaks, although only in 3% and 2% of cases respectively. Overall, most diseases with high evidence were due to the consumption of "eggs and egg products" and "compound and prepared foods".

The results of the report show that the highest risk for a disease directly associated with food consumption was from undetected microbial contamination.

Regular hygiene controls can prevent food-borne infections

Compliance with hygiene rules, regular staff training and monitoring of the success of cleaning and disinfection in the production plant, together with regular analytical product testing, are essential measures that protect the food business operator from possible harm as part of his comprehensive duty of care.

The laboratories of the AGROLAB GROUP help to identify possible microbiological contamination risks at an early stage and to avoid worse, so that they will certainly not be mentioned in the next annual report of BVL and RKI.

Link in German only:  https://www.bvl.bund.de/

Autor: Dr. Frank Mörsberger