Ten Danish children sick in European salmonella outbreak from instant noodles

Ten Danish children and young people have fallen ill with salmonella since January, linked to a widespread outbreak across nine European countries. Three of the Danish children required hospitalization due to the infection.

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But the results show that there must have been one or more batches of noodles from the Ukrainian producer on the market in Denmark that made the Danish patients sick.

Authorities in Germany and Lithuania have identified instant noodles from a Ukrainian producer as the source of the outbreak. The affected products are "Reeva" brand instant noodles with chicken flavor and spicy chicken flavor. While these specific batches have not been sold in Denmark, officials believe other batches from the same Ukrainian producer must have been available on the Danish market, leading to the illnesses.

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Noodles with flavor are a popular quick snack, and we are experiencing a trend where especially children and young people eat the product directly from the package.

Food authorities are advising consumers not to eat the "Reeva" instant noodles directly from the package without cooking them. Section head at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Ulrich Pinstrup, noted that flavored instant noodles are a popular snack, especially among children and young people who often consume them uncooked. He stressed that the product is not ready-to-eat and cooking it according to package instructions significantly reduces the risk of salmonella infection.

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This absolutely cannot be recommended, as the product is not ready-to-eat.

Salmonella infection typically causes general malaise, diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Symptoms usually appear 12 to 36 hours after infection. While most cases are mild and resolve on their own, persistent symptoms warrant medical attention. Investigations into the Ukrainian noodle producer are ongoing, and further product recalls in Denmark cannot be ruled out.

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As a rule, salmonella causes a mild bout of stomach upset, which resolves on its own.