22 October 2026
A comprehensive quantitative risk assessment released by the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) indicates that the risk of consumer exposure to Salmonella Enteritidis via table eggs in Sweden has increased slightly in recent years, though it remains substantially lower than the European Union average.
Historically, Salmonella occurrence in Swedish laying hen operations has been exceptionally low, sustained by a rigorous national control program based on systematic flock testing, strict biosecurity, and mandatory culling and sanitation upon positive findings. However, surveillance data from recent years highlights an epidemiological shift: Salmonella Enteritidis, a serotype previously rare in domestic flocks, has emerged since 2021 as the predominant serotype. Because S. Enteritidis possesses a distinct tropism for the avian reproductive tract, it can internally contaminate egg contents prior to shell formation, presenting an elevated food safety risk when eggs are consumed raw or undercooked.
Between 2015 and 2024, Salmonella spp. was detected in 33 of approximately 7,900 tested Swedish laying flocks, representing an overall flock prevalence of 0.42%. While the average prevalence of S. Enteritidis across the entire ten-year period was 0.10%, it rose to an average of 0.21% between 2021 and 2024, reaching a peak of 0.34% in 2022. Despite this upward trend, Sweden's levels remain well below the EU average, where flock prevalence for S. Enteritidis is approximately 1.0% (and roughly 3.7% for Salmonella spp. overall).
Based on exposure modeling, the report estimates that between 0.9 and 1.4 eggs per million produced in Sweden are internally contaminated with S. Enteritidis, compared to approximately 4.4 to 4.5 eggs per million across the EU. The estimated risk of human illness from consuming raw or lightly cooked Swedish eggs ranges from 0.09 to 0.21 cases per million consumers. This places the consumer risk in Sweden at approximately 21% to 34% (roughly one-quarter to one-third) of the EU average.
The report also emphasizes the impact of flock size on exposure volume: while population-wide risk is primarily driven by between-flock prevalence, infections in large commercial facilities (e.g., 40,000 birds or more) produce significantly higher absolute numbers of contaminated eggs daily compared to smaller holdings. The findings are intended to provide a scientific foundation for updating public dietary guidelines and catering policies regarding the use of raw and lightly cooked domestic eggs.
Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket), Report Series L 2026 No. 06: Risker med salmonella i ägg på den svenska marknaden.
