Spanish salmonella outbreak leaves 600 ill, one dead
A salmonella outbreak that has left nearly 600 people ill across Spain and killed one man is expected to recede after a batch of contaminated chicken was withdrawn from sale, the head of the country’s food safety agency said today.
The Health Ministry says 579 people have contracted gastroenteritis after eating the Sada company's roast chickens.
Health authorities in the Valencia region confirmed today that a 90-year-old man died from salmonella infection.
Jose Ignacio Arranz, head of Spain’s food safety agency, told the state-run news agency Efe the number of people infected could start dropping tomorrow, given that “the risk factor is no longer on the market”.
Sada says the contamination originated in a pipe at its plant near Toledo, south of Madrid, that poured sauce onto the meat before packing.
Authorities have not said how much contaminated meat was sold before the chickens were withdrawn from sale over recent days.
Spain’s Consumer Federation said 80 people had made contact with a view to seeking compensation.
