Salmonella triggers food recalls in Finland amid public health concerns

Finland has recently experienced multiple food recalls due to salmonella risks. These recalls involve common food items used in many Finnish households. In August, S-Group announced the withdrawal of three batches of salads after salmonella was detected in a batch of red chard during internal quality control. As a precaution, all products made with that batch were removed from sale.

On Sunday, the egg packaging company Kieku Oy reported finding salmonella bacteria in the laying hen farm of one of its suppliers. Kieku listed all 13 product names supplied by that particular farm in its announcement. Salmonella is a common bacteria carried by animals that can lead to gastrointestinal and systemic infections. It is typically transmitted through food contaminated by the feces of infected humans or animals, causing symptoms like diarrhea and fever; in some cases, it can lead to arthritis as a secondary condition.

Expert Mika Varjonen from the Food Composition Division noted that the salmonella finding came from routine testing as part of the national surveillance program. Generally, salmonella is discovered during these routine inspections, although recalls can also be prompted by outbreaks identified in other countries.

According to the Finnish Food Authority, there have been no significant recalls associated with consumer illnesses in recent times. Last year, nearly 1,000 salmonella cases were reported, with 19 food recalls prompted by the bacteria. Most recent strains were found in various food products including beef, poultry, nuts, and sprouts. While there have been several recalls this year, the current number of salmonella cases does not differ notably from previous years, indicating a long-term decline in salmonella infections in Finland over the past decade.