On 18 August, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) declared a national outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis, with 207 confirmed cases identified across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland between August 2025 and August 2026. Thirty-eight per cent of those affected have needed hospital treatment, and the outbreak has been linked to one death. UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency are investigating, with current evidence pointing towards eggs imported from outside the UK, largely supplied to the food service and catering sector, as a likely source. There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.
This outbreak brings into sharp focus the themes covered in IFST's July webinar, Egg sourcing in a changing market: insights, risks and best practice. Chaired by IFST Chief Executive Craig Leadley and sponsored by British Lion Code, the session brought food safety expert Sterling Crew to examine the risks of sourcing eggs and egg products from countries operating under different regulatory frameworks, drawing on the British Lion's Shell Shocked report and looking closely at the rising volumes of foreign-imported eggs entering UK food manufacturing and foodservice. The webinar also set out practical steps for strengthening traceability and reducing risk across shell and processed egg supply chains.
Recordings from IFST webinars are normally restricted to members for at least 12 months but given the direct relevance of this webinar to an emerging food safety issue we are making it freely available to all.
IFST holds hundreds of food safety resources for members, including technical briefs, fact sheets, guidance documents and webinar recordings covering topics across the supply chain. Our Food Safety Knowledge Hub brings this guidance together in one place, including practical advice on microbiological risks such as Salmonella. Why not join our community and support the work of the IFST?
Anyone concerned about symptoms of salmonella infection is advised to contact their GP or out-of-hours service in the first instance.