One dead in German Salmonella outbreak

An adult has died in a Salmonella outbreak in Germany tied to a brand of nut nougat spread.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is part of a team investigating the outbreak of Salmonella Bochum. This rare strain has been causing illnesses since September 2025.

The 40 patients are mainly children and adolescents, particularly in eastern Germany. Illnesses have been connected to a contaminated nut nougat spread.

One death recorded
Thirty of the 40 outbreak patients have been children between 2 and 15 years old. Fifteen of the 30 young patients range in age from 6 to 12. Ten children aged 2 to 5 and five aged 13 to 15 are affected. The 10 sick adults are between 21 and 82 years old. Overall, 25 males and 15 females are affected.

Another isolate was sequenced at the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). It is from a German child who contracted salmonellosis and was treated in hospital in Austria while on vacation. According to AGES, this strain fits into the outbreak cluster.

Nine people had to be treated in hospital for salmonellosis. One person over 60 years old died in connection with the outbreak.

Salmonella Bochum is an extremely rare serovar in Germany, with 0 to 4 cases per year. No infections with this pathogen were recorded in the country between 2019 and 2024.

Sachsen is the state with the most patients with 13. RKI was also informed of three cases from abroad. They are two siblings from Austria who live near the German border, and one child from France who had been to Germany before the onset of illness.

Recall and positive samples
Based on interviews and a case control study, a nut nougat spread was identified as the source of infection. Salmonella was also detected in certain batches of this product in internal checks by the manufacturer and it was recalled on April 9.

The recall involves Nudossi Haselnuss-Nougat-Crème 300-gram with expiration dates from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, 2026. It was sold at stores including Aldi Nord, Kaufland, Lidl, Edeka, Netto, Rewe and Metro.

Sächsische und Dresdner Back- und Süßwaren GmbH said it deeply regrets the incident and apologized to all affected consumers, adding that the safety and quality of its products are the company’s highest priority.

A total of 14 cases, or their parents, have been interviewed so far. In initial interviews, the consumption of a specific brand of nut spread was noted. Twelve of the 14 cases had eaten this product three days prior to the onset of their illness.

Authorities are conducting further investigations into processing steps at the manufacturer as well as looking into the relevant supply chains.