SALMONELLA

A RUTHLESS INVADER

- BY JAY HILOTIN

Salmonella is a ruthless, gut-wrenching invader.

Once it slips into the bodies of humans or animals, it wages war on the intestinal tract, leaving chaos in its wake. The aftermath is rarely gentle — and almost never something anyone would choose.

In 2022, a Belgian outbreak sickened 450+ across 16 countries from Salmonella-tainted products.

In 2025, at least 64 people in 22 US states fell ill with Salmonella infections after eating raw oysters. Result: 24 hospitalisations as of late December 2025, as per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In August 2025, a Salmonella outbreak in Canada prompted a recall of certain pistachio and pistachio-containing products, as per the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Now, Salmonella has also turned up in trendy chia seeds and artisanal chocolate bars, prompting recent product recalls.

Recalls started on January 15, 2026, after 80 per cent of cases reported consuming the suspected products.

The FDA and CDC continue investigating contamination sources.

What is Salmonella?

It is a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria and commonly inhabits the intestines when ingested by humans and animals, leading to infections known as "salmonellosis".

Subspecies: Salmonella is divided into six subspecies:

What is the usual route of Salmonella contamination?

It is usually ingested through contaminated food or water.