Overview
- An official BVL/RKI report recorded 271 outbreaks with at least 2,400 illnesses, 451 hospitalizations and eight deaths in 2024.
- For the first time, take-away and fast-food outlets were the most common setting for outbreaks, ahead of private households.
- Salmonella was the leading pathogen with Campylobacter next, and identified sources were animal foods in 47% of outbreaks and plant foods in 33%.
- High-evidence findings frequently traced infections to raw pork mince and to composite foods such as Döner products.
- Plant-based outbreaks increased from four in 2020 to 12 in 2024, and multi-year Salmonella events linked to tomatoes and sprouts highlighted traceability challenges.