Norway has had its biggest foodborne outbreak in nearly half a century, with 230 reported cases of Salmonella linked to organic alfalfa sprouts. The outbreak occurred between October to December 2024 and is affecting people of all ages, mainly between ages 47-48. The primary strains reported are Salmonella Newport and Salmonella Typhimurium. As many as 120 patients have been hospitalized. Most of the people affected live in Vestland, which is the most affected region.The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) linked the contamination to organic alfalfa sprouts, which were recalled in November 2024 after authorities traced the bacterial source to seeds supplied by an Italian company. The same seeds had affected other EU countries and had led to the related outbreaks in Sweden and Finland. 

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) and the Norwegian Veterinary Institute proved that Salmonella Newport was found both in the sprouts and also in the production environment of the sprouting facility. According to statistics, it is one of the largest incidents associated with a food product in Norway since 1980. The sprouts were distributed to several countries, and therefore, the contamination led to an investigation across Europe. In Sweden, more than 100 people got infected, with cases traced back to a genetically related strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. In Finland, the authorities detected Salmonella in the sprouts, but they did not associate it with any cases of patients infected.

Health authorities from Norway, Sweden, Finland and other European countries, together with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), are now working on ways to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future. The investigation has strengthened food safety regulations and traceability systems within the EU. As the case continues to unfold, experts remind everyone that more attention must be given to raw produce, like sprouts, to protect consumers from possible foodborne illnesses.

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