Food safety agencies say microbiological and epidemiological evidence points to products manufactured in Ukraine, although investigations into the exact source of contamination are still under way. Authorities have also warned that recalled products may remain in households because of their long shelf life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The outbreak has been monitored since late 2025 and now involves confirmed cases across Europe. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC<\/a>) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA<\/a>), 106 confirmed cases had been identified between November 2025 and June 2026, including 29 in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At least 49 people have required hospital treatment, while 33 confirmed infections have been reported in children under the age of 10. The agencies said the outbreak has disproportionately affected children and young adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the joint ECDC and EFSA rapid outbreak assessment, flavoured noodle products from a specific brand are considered the most likely source of the outbreak. Investigators found that infected people in Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania had consumed products from the same brand before becoming ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laboratory testing strengthened that link after the outbreak strain, Salmonella Stanley ST2045<\/strong>, was detected in chicken-flavoured and hot-chicken-flavoured noodle products collected in Germany and Lithuania. Traceability investigations connected those products to the same producer in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report also notes that additional Salmonella strains were identified in products from the same brand, suggesting there could be more than one source of contamination. Health authorities said further investigations are needed to establish the root cause and determine whether contamination originated from one or several ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although flavoured noodles represent the strongest epidemiological signal, investigators said they cannot exclude other possible sources because not every patient reported eating the implicated products. Many also reported consuming processed chicken products before falling ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEvidence Links Infections to Flavoured Noodle Products<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n