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What Is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a genus of bacteria and one of the most well-known causes of food poisoning worldwide. In the UK, the most common Salmonella species affecting humans are Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium — collectively referred to as non-typhoidal Salmonella to distinguish them from the typhoid-causing Salmonella Typhi, which is rare in the UK and primarily linked to travel.
Salmonella causes a gastrointestinal illness called salmonellosis, with symptoms including diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Most people recover without medical treatment within 4–7 days. However, Salmonella can cause severe and life-threatening illness in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals, and can on occasion spread to the bloodstream causing potentially fatal systemic infection. For the broader context of food poisoning in the UK, see our Food Poisoning Statistics UK guide.
Key Facts & Figures (Overview)
- 10,388 lab-confirmed Salmonella cases were recorded in England in 2024 — a decade high and a 17.1% increase from 8,872 cases in 2023.
- Q1 2025 shows 1,588 reports — up from 1,541 in Q1 2024 and 1,328 in Q1 2023, indicating the rising trend is continuing.
- The FSA estimates approximately 23,000 true annual cases of foodborne Salmonella when underreporting is accounted for — lab-confirmed cases represent only a fraction of actual incidence.
- Children under 10 are disproportionately affected, accounting for 21.5% of all Salmonella cases in 2024.
- Hospital admissions for Salmonella in England reached 1,468 in 2022/23 — a 76% increase from the 2013 low of 834, and equivalent to roughly 3 per 100,000 people.
- Salmonella imposes an estimated £210 million annual economic burden on the UK — the third highest of any foodborne pathogen.
- The average cost per confirmed Salmonella case is substantial, reflecting the higher hospitalisation rate compared to Campylobacter.
- Salmonella causes an estimated 40–50 deaths per year in the UK, making it one of the leading causes of foodborne mortality.
- Approximately 80–90% of Salmonella cases are attributable to food — primarily poultry, eggs, and meat.
- The UK has experienced a sustained series of Salmonella incidents linked to imported Polish poultry products since 2020, prompting bilateral diplomatic and regulatory intervention.
Scale of Salmonella in the UK
The 10,388 lab-confirmed Salmonella cases in 2024 represent the highest annual total in England for a decade. However, these confirmed cases significantly undercount the true number of infections. The FSA estimates that for every lab-confirmed Salmonella case, approximately two to three additional cases occur in the community without being diagnosed — reflecting the many people who experience Salmonella illness but do not seek medical attention, or do not provide a stool sample for testing.
The sustained upward trend — with cases rising in Q1 2025 above both the Q1 2024 and Q1 2023 figures — indicates this is not a temporary anomaly but a genuine deterioration in the Salmonella burden. UKHSA and the FSA launched a joint investigation in 2025 to understand the drivers of the increase, citing both improved detection through PCR testing and genuine epidemiological changes in contamination and transmission patterns.
Salmonella Sources and High-Risk Foods
Salmonella is found in the gut of many animals and reaches food through contamination at various points in the supply chain. The primary sources in the UK are:
Poultry — chicken and turkey are the most significant sources. Salmonella contamination of poultry carcasses during slaughter and processing is widespread. The UK's ongoing issues with imported Polish poultry products contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis represent a particular challenge, with multiple incidents since 2020 requiring regulatory intervention at the highest levels.
Eggs — Salmonella Enteritidis can infect hens' ovaries, leading to internal contamination of the egg before the shell forms. Lion Mark eggs in the UK come from hens vaccinated against Salmonella Enteritidis, substantially reducing but not eliminating risk. Cracked or dirty eggs and improperly stored or undercooked eggs remain a source.
Meat — beef, pork, and lamb can carry Salmonella, particularly from contamination during slaughter or in processing.
Raw produce — fresh fruit and vegetables can be contaminated through irrigation water, soil, or contact with animal faeces. Multiple Salmonella outbreaks have been linked to imported fresh produce.
Unpasteurised dairy products — raw milk and raw milk cheeses carry Salmonella risk.
Pet food and pet reptiles — contact with reptiles (turtles, lizards, snakes) and their environments is a well-documented source of Salmonella, particularly in young children.
Children and Salmonella
The disproportionate impact on children under 10 — who accounted for 21.5% of all Salmonella cases in 2024 — reflects several factors:
Children's immune systems are less developed than adults, making them more susceptible to infection with a lower infectious dose. They are also more likely to come into contact with high-risk sources including pet animals, farm visits, and sandpits potentially contaminated with animal faeces.
In children under 5, Salmonella can cause severe dehydration from diarrhoea and vomiting more rapidly than in adults, and medical attention should be sought sooner. Young children with bloody diarrhoea or high fever following a food poisoning episode should be seen by a doctor promptly.
Salmonella Hospitalisations and Deaths
Hospital admissions for Salmonella in England have risen substantially over the past decade:
- 2022/23: 1,468 admissions — a rate of approximately 3 per 100,000 people and a 76% increase from the 2013 low
- The rate remains lower than the early 2000s peak but is trending upward
The rise in hospitalisation rates is consistent with the rise in overall case numbers, though improved PCR diagnostics are identifying previously-undiagnosed Salmonella cases in patients already admitted for other reasons, contributing to the increase in recorded admissions.
Deaths from Salmonella in the UK are estimated at 40–50 per year in the FSA burden model, though deaths with Salmonella as a contributing rather than primary cause are not fully captured. Deaths are concentrated in adults over 75 and in immunocompromised individuals.
Serious complications include bacteraemia (Salmonella in the bloodstream), which can cause meningitis, osteomyelitis, and infection of heart valves and other organs. Reactive arthritis following Salmonella infection occurs in approximately 2% of cases.
The Polish Poultry Salmonella Incident
One of the most significant ongoing food safety challenges for the UK has been a sustained series of Salmonella contamination incidents linked to poultry products imported from Poland. The UK's response illustrates the complexity of managing food safety in global supply chains:
- The UK experienced a serious Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in 2020/21 linked to frozen breaded chicken products imported from Poland
- The FSA led a multi-year response involving UKHSA, DEFRA, and the Chief Veterinary Officers of both the UK and Poland
- By December 2023, a new incident involving imported Polish poultry prompted the first joint FSA/UKHSA Cluster Assessment Team meeting
- Over 200 people were affected by a Salmonella variant linked to eggs and poultry from Poland, investigated into 2024
- Poland introduced voluntary additional control measures and subsequently new legislation as a result of UK pressure
This incident demonstrates both the international nature of the food supply chain and the importance of robust import controls and bilateral regulatory engagement in protecting UK consumers.
The Cost of Salmonella
The FSA estimates the annual economic burden of Salmonella in the UK at approximately £210 million, making it the third most costly foodborne pathogen after Norovirus (£1.68 billion) and Campylobacter (£712 million). This figure covers medical costs, lost productivity, and the human cost of illness and death.
Salmonella cases carry a higher per-case cost than Campylobacter due to their higher average severity and hospitalisation rate. Each confirmed Salmonella case imposes a substantial economic burden, with hospitalised cases costing several thousand pounds in treatment costs alone.
For food businesses, a Salmonella outbreak can be catastrophic. Beyond the human cost, food businesses that are the source of a Salmonella outbreak face product recalls, business closure, reputational damage, regulatory investigation, and potential prosecution under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the General Food Law Regulation.
Preventing Salmonella in Food Businesses
The key controls for food businesses handling high-risk Salmonella sources are:
- Cook poultry to a core temperature of 75°C throughout, verifying with a probe thermometer
- Store raw poultry and meat below ready-to-eat foods in the refrigerator, covered
- Keep eggs refrigerated and use pasteurised egg where eggs will be served raw or lightly cooked in vulnerable settings
- Never serve runny eggs or raw egg preparations to high-risk groups (elderly residents, young children, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women)
- Practise rigorous separation of raw and ready-to-eat food preparation
- Maintain thorough handwashing after handling raw poultry, meat, or eggs
Written by Food Safety Experts
This guide was produced by the team at Food Hygiene Certificate, a UK provider of RoSPA-approved and CPD-accredited online food hygiene training. For the broader picture of UK food poisoning, see our Food Poisoning Statistics UK guide. For data on other major pathogens, see our guides to Campylobacter, E. coli, Norovirus, Listeria, and Allergen Incidents.
Sources & References
- UKHSA – Cases of Salmonella and Campylobacter Highest in a Decade (June 2025)
- FSA – Annual Report of Incidents, Resilience and Prevention 2024/25
- FSA – Incidents & Resilience Unit Annual Report 2023/24
- FSA – The Burden of Foodborne Disease in the UK 2018
- CIEH – Marked Increase in People Hospitalised Due to Foodborne Illnesses (2024)
