Flavored noodles linked to salmonella outbreak across 14 European countries

European health officials have linked a salmonella outbreak spanning 14 countries to flavored instant noodle products, with 106 confirmed cases and 49 hospitalizations reported so far.

The outbreak has been under investigation since the first cases were reported in November 2025. Officials said the incident remains active, with the case count and geographic spread continuing to evolve as laboratory and traceback work continues.

AP reported that investigators identified the strain as Salmonella Stanley and said the likely source is products from a Ukrainian producer. The company named in reporting is Euro Food Service, which makes Reeva-brand instant noodles.

What investigators have found

Laboratory evidence reportedly linked the outbreak strain to chicken-flavored and hot-chicken-flavored noodle products in Germany and Lithuania. Reporting also says the outbreak appears to mainly affect children and young adults.

The countries named in coverage are Austria, Britain, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden. Some reporting counts the United Kingdom separately, which appears to explain earlier references to 13 countries plus the UK.

At least 49 people have required hospital treatment. That makes this more than a small retail recall story: it is a cross-border food-safety event with confirmed severe illness in multiple countries.

How the outbreak developed

The earliest verified outbreak cases were reported in November 2025, according to the European food-safety reporting cited by AP. Earlier coverage in June described a smaller cluster and showed that investigators were already tracking instant noodles as a possible vehicle.

By June 5, the outbreak had been described as involving 83 cases and 20 hospitalizations in earlier reporting. The latest public update, published by AP on July 2, lifted the confirmed count to 106 cases and 49 hospitalizations across 14 countries.

That timeline matters because shelf-stable foods can keep circulating after the first illnesses are detected. Even when the source is narrowed, more cases can still appear while consumers continue to eat products already in homes or stores.

Company response and oversight

Reeva Foods said it detected Salmonella Stanley in a batch distributed in the Baltic market, withdrew the impacted batches and launched an internal investigation. The company said it is cooperating with authorities.

The company also said it has added independent laboratory testing, regulatory audits and environmental monitoring as preventive measures. Those steps suggest the outbreak has triggered not just traceback work, but broader scrutiny of production controls and distribution.

The European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control are both involved in the investigation. Officials have not yet said whether the contamination source at the production plant has been confirmed.

Why it matters

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, vomiting, cramps and dehydration. In foodborne outbreaks, children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems can face the greatest risk of serious illness.

The confirmed case count, hospitalizations and cross-border spread show why public-health agencies treat this as an active food-safety problem rather than a finished recall. The scale also raises the possibility of additional withdrawals if other contaminated batches are identified.

For now, investigators say more work is needed to determine whether all of the illnesses share the same exposure path. Officials have also not confirmed whether multiple products or distribution routes are involved.

The outbreak remains under review, and more cases could still be reported as agencies compare patient histories, test products and inspect facilities. If the source is confirmed more precisely, the final scope of the incident could change again.