EU authorities warn
Severe food poisoning caused by Listeria is on the rise
12/20/2025 – 12:16 p.mReading time: 2 min.
Chilled sausage, ready-made salad, soft cheese: What seems harmless at first glance can become a risk for some. Listeria infections are increasing in Europe.
Food poisoning caused by Listeria monocytogenes is rare, but often particularly dangerous. As a current report from the European Food Authority (EFSA) and the EU Center for Disease Control (ECDC) shows, around 70 percent of those sick had to go to hospital in 2024. Around one in twelve infected people died. This makes listeriosis one of the deadliest food-borne infections in Europe.
According to the report, older people, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly affected. For them, even a small amount of the bacterium can be enough to cause a serious infection – with symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, vomiting or, in the worst case, blood poisoning or meningitis.
Ole Heuer from the ECDC warns: “Even if contamination is rare, Listeria can cause serious illness.” Protecting vulnerable groups requires strict controls along the entire food chain and caution in everyday life.
The EU authorities cite several reasons for the increase in serious listeria infections: More and more people are turning to ready-to-eat products such as salads, sandwiches or smoked meat products. These foods do not need to be heated and therefore provide an ideal environment for listeria, which can continue to multiply even in the refrigerator.
In addition, the European population is aging, which means that more and more people are in the risk group. The risk of infection is often underestimated because most ready-to-eat products look inconspicuous and are sold well chilled.
The report shows: For most of the foods examined, the contamination with listeria is below the EU limit. Fermented sausages were most commonly affected in 2024. Overall, up to three percent of the samples exceeded the permissible limits. That doesn’t sound like much, but it still poses a risk of infection for sensitive population groups.
