Warning issued over contaminated chicken sold at Rimi Lietuva

The State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) has issued a warning regarding contaminated chicken meat sold at the "Rimi Lietuva" supermarket chain. Salmonella spp. was detected in marinated chicken thigh meat with wild garlic marinade, which had an expiration date of May 29. The product has since been removed from shelves.

Luka Lesauskaitė-Remeikė, head of public relations at "Rimi Lietuva," urged customers who purchased the affected product not to consume it. "We ask customers who have purchased marinated chicken thigh meat with wild garlic marinade not to consume this product and to return it to any 'Rimi' store by June 7, 2026. Refunds will be issued even without a purchase receipt," she stated. This is not the first time this particular product has been flagged for potential pathogens; similar reports surfaced last week.

Salmonellosis is an acute intestinal infection caused by Salmonella bacteria. According to the National Public Health Center (NVSC), there are over 2,500 known types of Salmonella. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control identifies Salmonella Enteritidis (67.3%) and S. Typhimurium (13.1%) as the most commonly detected serotypes. The designation "Salmonella spp." refers to various bacteria within the Salmonella genus.

The VMVT further explained that common transmission routes for Salmonella include consuming raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, or egg products, as well as fruits or vegetables washed with contaminated water. Symptoms of infection typically appear within hours to two days and can include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting.

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The product was immediately removed from sale. Customers who purchased marinated chicken thigh meat with wild garlic marinade are asked not to consume this product and to return it to any 'Rimi' store by June 7, 2026. Refunds will be issued even without a purchase receipt.