Netherlands Sees Lowest Rate of Foodborne Disease Infections! 2023 Report Shows 22% Decrease, But Salmonella Cases Rise!

On September 19, 2024, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) officially released its Annual Report on Foodborne Diseases 2023. Based on the data presented in this report, we can see an encouraging trend: For the first time since 2016, the number of food-borne infections reported in the Netherlands was lower than the previous year.

Specifically, the number of food-borne infections reported in the Netherlands in 2022 was 1,173, and by 2023, that number had dropped to 911. Similarly, the number of cases decreased from 4,505 in 2022 to 3,500 in 2023. Despite this, Salmonella, norovirus and Campylobacter remain the most common causes of foodborne illness outbreaks.

In 2023, there were 14 outbreaks due to salmonella infections, a slight increase compared to previous years, with five to 13 outbreaks between 2018 and 2022. There were seven outbreaks caused by norovirus infections, similar to the pattern from 2020 to 2022, when there were three to six outbreaks in those years. Outbreaks caused by campylobacter fell to seven, compared with five to 13 between 2018 and 2022. In addition, the report mentions outbreaks caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and rotavirus.

In the investigation into the cause of the salmonella outbreak, two main sources have been identified: eggs and dried sausages. According to the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), pathogens can enter the food chain through a variety of routes, and the main causes of food contamination include unsanitary conditions, excessive storage temperatures, contaminated equipment, cross-contamination, and inadequate heating. With the development of the globalized food industry, the sources of raw materials and food products have become more diverse, while the consumption of "exotic" products is increasing, and these factors can have an impact on the outbreak of foodborne diseases.