The Finnish Food Agency investigates causes of incorrect salmonella result
In May, a self-monitoring sample of chicken from Lappeenranta was found to contain Salmonella at the Helsinki laboratory of Eurofins Scientific Finland Oy. Later, it was discovered that the Salmonella result was incorrect, as the sample had been contaminated with Salmonella bacteria in the laboratory. The contamination occurred due to the sample coming into contact with a reference measurement sample processed at the same time. This was confirmed by the Food Agency's whole-genome sequencing study, which compared the genomes of Salmonella bacteria isolated from the chicken sample and the reference measurement sample. The serotype was identified as Salmonella Oranienburg. Immediately after the suspicion arose, a sales ban on eggs and chickens was ordered to prevent the spread of the disease. The incorrect Salmonella test result led to the slaughter of thousands of chickens. Over 4,000 organic egg-laying chickens were killed, and more than 100,000 eggs were sent for pasteurization.
