Sicilian tomatoes linked to 29 salmonella cases in Austria

Austria has recorded 29 salmonella cases linked to an outbreak associated with cocktail tomatoes from Sicily, ORF reports. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) warned on Friday against eating the tomatoes raw.

The warning concerns cocktail tomatoes from the Sicilian provinces of Ragusa and Caltanissetta. The tomatoes have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Strathcona. Since July 2026, more than 160 confirmed cases have been reported in 10 European countries, with confirmation pending in more than 100 other cases.

Seven of Austria’s cases were reported in Upper Austria, six each in Vienna and Salzburg, and further cases in Tyrol, Lower Austria, Styria and Carinthia. Of the 29 cases, 21 have been confirmed by laboratory testing and eight are considered probable. All but one, which occurred in winter, were reported between late July and early October.

AGES advises heating tomatoes

AGES advises people not to eat the affected tomatoes raw and to heat them thoroughly before consumption. Salmonella can contaminate tomatoes on the outside and, under certain conditions, can also enter plant tissue. Washing may reduce contamination on the surface but does not provide complete protection.

AGES said the outbreak strain was detected in organic cherry tomatoes from Sicily in late 2025. The same strain was also found in irrigation water used by a tomato producer.

More than 800 confirmed cases of Salmonella Strathcona have been reported in more than 17 countries across Europe since January 2023. The serotype is rare outside outbreaks, according to AGES.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says further infections are possible while contaminated tomatoes remain in circulation. Its risk assessment also considers further outbreaks in coming years likely unless the source of contamination is identified.