German and Austrian authorities are investigating a Salmonella outbreak that has mainly sickened young children. More than 60 children have fallen ill.
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) reported illnesses were likely caused by an organic cashew butter with raspberries sold at dm drogerie markt.
The majority of patients are children aged between 1 and 3 but they range from under 1 to 69 years old.
In Austria, 13 cases have been reported from the federal states of Carinthia, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg. Eight children had to be hospitalized. The Ministry of Health asked AGES to investigate the foodborne outbreak.
Known symptom onset dates are between March 31 and May 20, 2025.
More than 50 sick in Germany
A spokeswoman from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany told Food Safety News that a Salmonella Infantis outbreak has been detected.
There are 52 cases in children up to 4 years old. However, most of those sick are 1 year of age or younger. Boys and girls are equally affected and infections have occurred across the country. A total of 24 patients have been hospitalized.
“The Robert Koch Institute, in collaboration with public health services, interviewed the parents of 20 children about their food consumption. The information gathered by epidemiologists quickly revealed the first evidence of the product which has now been recalled,” she said.
Dm drogerie markt has withdrawn the product from the market and carried out a recall. It affects dmBio Cashewmus Himbeere 250-gram with shelf life dates up to and including April 28, 2026.
Official investigations revealed Salmonella in the product, which may be linked to cases of Salmonella Infantis in young children in Germany and Austria.
AGES said because of the long best-before date, it cannot be ruled out that consumers still have the product at home. The agency urged people not to consume it under any circumstances.
According to a notice on the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) portal, the product was also distributed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said it is monitoring the incident with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission.
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