The 5 signs you're infected with deadly salmonella linked to tomatoes that left 100 ill and 14 in hospital
In the most recent outbreak, over 100 people were sickened and 14 rushed to hospital after eating tomatoes.
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Health officials sounded the alarm over a surge in potentially deadly salmonella linked to tomatoes
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Health officials are urging Brits to be on high alert for the symptoms of salmonella infection, which can last anywhere from four to seven days.
Cases hit a record decade high in 2024, soaring by almost a fifth in a single year to over 10,000 cases.
But separate data this week revealed cases in the first quarter of 2025 were even higher than 2024, with some 1,588 cases logged between January and March 2025, up on the 1,541 reported over the same period in 2024.
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By comparison, there were 1,328 reports between January and March 2023.
Children under 10 years old were particularly affected, accounting for 21.5 per cent of cases.
The
Salmonella can cause a sudden bout of fever,
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The bacteria attacks the gut lining, damaging cells and stopping the body from soaking up water.
This is what leads to the painful cramps and nonstop diarrhoea as the body flushes out the water it couldn't absorb.
What is salmonella, what are the symptoms and treatment?
Most people recover without treatment, but in rare cases it can turn deadly.
Around one in 50 sufferers go on to develop a serious
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Young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of complications.
Thankfully, deaths remain rare in the UK, with fatal cases making up just 0.2 per cent of reports.
Testing has linked the infections to two rare strains of salmonella: salmonella Blockley and salmonella Strathcona.
S. Strathcona is particularly severe, UKHSA says, while S. Blockley, normally found in East Asia and the US, has only been seen in Europe a handful of times.
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According to the 2024 UKHSA data, there were 81 cases of S. Blockley confirmed by lab testing, all linked to tomatoes. Of these, at least 14 were hospitalised.
Tomatoes were also blamed for a S. Strathcona outbreak that affected 24 people.
It is not known where the tomatoes were grown, be it from the UK or if they were imported from another country.
Where does salmonella come from?
Salmonella lives in the guts of animals and humans and spreads through contaminated poo.
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Food can get tainted if it's grown in dirty water, handled with grubby hands, or touches surfaces exposed to animal waste.
This contamination can occur at any stage, from farm to fork, including irrigation with contaminated water, poor hygiene during harvesting, or cross-contamination during packaging.
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That's how fresh produce like tomatoes, especially when eaten raw, can end up crawling with the bug.
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Salmonella can cling to fresh produce like tomatoes, and research suggests their texture makes them more prone to holding onto the bacteria.
The risk is even greater because tomatoes are often eaten raw, unlike cooked food, which would usually kill off any bugs.
It's also commonly found in raw eggs, undercooked chicken and unwashed salad leaves.
Once salmonella gets onto a kitchen counter, chopping board or knife, it can survive for up to four hours, long enough to infect anything else that touches it.
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Salmonella causes an infection that typically results in vomiting and diarrhoea
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Dr James Cooper, deputy director of food policy at the Food Standard Agency, said: "We are working together to understand the reasons behind the rise in salmonella cases, as well as trends in other pathogens.
"This analysis will help us take the necessary action to protect public health.
"We're also working with industry and local authorities to support businesses to meet their legal responsibility to make sure food is safe."
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What to watch out for
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms usually kick in two to five days after infection, but can appear in as little as six hours.
These include:
Diarrhoea (sometimes bloody).
Fever
Stomach pains or cramps.
Nausea and vomiting
Headache
Salmonella symptoms typically last for four to seven days.
And most cases clear up without antibiotics, but staying hydrated is important to avoid complications of diarrhoea.
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You should see a doctor for salmonella symptoms if your symptoms are severe, prolonged, or you are at increased risk.
This includes infants, young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems.
How to stay safe
The most effective way of lowering your risk of Salmonella involves adherence to the '4 Cs' of food hygiene:
1. Cleaning
Thoroughly wash hands before and after handling any foods – especially raw meat.
It's also essential to keep workspaces, knives and utensils clean before, during and after preparing your meal.
2. Cooking
The bacteria that causes
Salmonella
infections can be inactivated when cooked at the right temperature. In general, foods should be cooked to an internal temperature above 65C - which should be maintained for at least
When re-heating food, it should reach 70C or above for two minutes to kill any bacteria that have grown since it was first cooked.
3. Chilling
Raw foods – especially meat and dairy – should always be stored below 5°C as this
Leftovers should be cooled quickly and also stored at 5C or lower.
4. Cross-contamination
To prevent Salmonella passing from raw foods to those that are already prepared or can be eaten raw (such as vegetables and fruit), it's important to wash hands and clean surfaces after handling raw meat, and to use different chopping boards for ready-to-eat foods and raw meat.
Most Salmonella infections are mild and will go away in a few days on their own. But taking the right steps when storing and preparing your meals can significantly lower your risk of contracting it.
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