FSA urges Ukrainian egg recall after Salmonella detection

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has called for the immediate withdrawal and recall of eggs supplied by one Ukrainian business after testing found Salmonella Enteritidis. The strain detected has been linked to 36 infections reported in England in 2026.

The action affects eggs distributed mainly through wholesalers and catering suppliers, with some reaching consumers through small shops. The announcement, reported by GOV.UK Business, says UK-produced eggs are outside the scope of the alert.

What happened

The FSA issued a Food Alert for Action aimed principally at businesses holding the affected eggs, including caterers, manufacturers and wholesalers. They are being told to remove the products from the supply chain immediately and recall them where retail sales have taken place.

The affected eggs are not sold by major supermarket chains. Small retailers are nevertheless included in the response because some of the stock may have been sold directly to the public rather than used in catering.

Consumers who have bought affected eggs are advised not to eat them and to dispose of them at home. The agency says the products may be unsafe.

The statement does not name the Ukrainian business or reproduce product identification details. It directs businesses and consumers to the Food Alert for Action for the advice covering the affected products.

The background

The contamination was discovered during egg sampling for an existing investigation into a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak thought to be associated with imported eggs. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) tested samples from the Ukrainian supplier and used whole genome sequencing to analyse the bacteria.

That analysis revealed an important distinction: the strain in the sampled eggs was genetically different from the strains being examined in the ongoing outbreak investigation. The finding therefore did not establish that these eggs were the source of the outbreak already under investigation.

Instead, the detected strain was associated with the separate group of 36 reported infections. The statement does not give dates for those individual cases beyond the year, or specify where in England they occurred.

Whole genome sequencing forms part of routine Salmonella surveillance in England. Samples from infections detected in patients seen in hospitals or primary care are analysed using the technique, helping public health teams identify potential outbreaks and investigate connections between cases.

What people are saying

Jacquelyn McCormick, the FSA’s head of incidents, said the agency had acted urgently following the contamination finding. She asked both businesses and consumers to follow the alert, distinguishing between withdrawing eggs still in commercial distribution and recalling products already sold at retail.

McCormick said the agency’s established guidance remained unchanged for eggs outside the alert. Thorough cooking and hygienic handling should prevent those eggs from presenting a food safety risk.

For infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults, the advice on raw or lightly cooked eggs remains more restrictive. McCormick said these groups should only eat them when they carry the British Lion mark or come under the Laid in Britain scheme.

Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist at UKHSA, identified the strain found in the imported eggs as S. Enteritidis t5.8998. She said the testing results were passed immediately to the FSA so that it could take food safety action.

Charles said Salmonella commonly causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever. Most infections resolve after a few days without treatment, although some lead to more serious illness, including sepsis, and require hospital admission.

Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to severe illness, she said. UKHSA also urged the public to follow the FSA’s product-specific advice.

What happens next

The FSA is working with local authorities to secure prompt action on the alert. For businesses holding affected stock, the instruction is immediate withdrawal rather than waiting for the wider investigation to conclude.

The agency is also reviewing broader measures relating to the source of the outbreak under investigation and working with international partners. Its continuing work with UKHSA will follow the emerging evidence and inform any further public health action.