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In an increasingly complex global food system, ensuring the safety of what we eat has never been more critical. 

From the farm to the table, food products traverse vast networks, encountering numerous risks that could jeopardize consumer health and brand integrity.

Agroknow’s Monthly Food Risk Index emerges as a powerful tool to shed light on these challenges.

This index delivers a comprehensive snapshot of food safety risks across 11 key product categories—Juices, Dairy, Meat & Poultry, Vegetables, Eggs, Nuts, Hot Beverages, Oils & Fat, Fish & Seafood, Fruits, and Cereals. 

The Food Risk Index can span between 0 and 15 and is calculated by combining two key factors:

1. Hazard Severity: The potential health impact of a hazard, ranked from 1 (minor) to 3 (severe), based on classifications from authoritative bodies like the FDA.
2. Probability: The likelihood of a hazard occurring, determined by the frequency of food safety incidents relative to all reported cases for a given ingredient or product.

By analyzing recent incidents and historical trends, it offers actionable insights that help stakeholders stay ahead of potential hazards.

February 2025 - Overview of findings in all categories 

The February 2025 Food Risk Index continues to highlight key food safety concerns, with eggs maintaining their position as the highest-risk category, marking a further increase in risk levels compared to previous months. This ongoing upward trend, now surpassing historical averages by a significant margin, underscores the persistence of Salmonella contamination as a major food safety threat in the egg supply chain.

The Fruits category, which ranked as the second-highest risk in January, continues to demonstrate a sustained elevated risk in February. Pesticide contamination remains the dominant factor contributing to this risk, with regulatory violations and excessive residue levels detected across various fruit types.

The overall risk landscape for other categories has remained relatively stable, with most product categories displaying risk values close to their historical averages. However, some categories, such as hot beverages, dairy, and vegetables, exhibit slight variations in risk levels compared to previous reports.

The chart above illustrates a comparative risk analysis between February 2025 and the average of maximum risks observed in past years. The notable increases in Eggs and Fruits categories reinforce the need for enhanced monitoring, stricter regulatory compliance, and proactive safety interventions.

In the following sections, we will delve deeper into the specific hazards driving these trends, with a focused analysis of the root causes behind the sustained risks in eggs and fruits, as well as necessary risk mitigation strategies.

Specific Hazards in the Eggs Category: Spotlight on Salmonella

The Eggs category remains the highest-risk food product in February 2025, with risk values surpassing those recorded in previous months. As shown in the chart above, the most dominant hazard in eggs continues to be Salmonella, which is responsible for the majority of reported food safety incidents.

• Salmonella – The Leading Hazard:
  Salmonella contamination overwhelmingly dominates the risk profile for eggs, significantly surpassing all other identified hazards.
  The presence of multiple Salmonella subtypes (including Salmonella Braenderup, Enteritidis, and Typhimurium) suggests widespread contamination across different points in the supply chain.

• High Presence of Salmonella Braenderup & Enteritidis:
  Salmonella Braenderup is particularly concerning, as it has been associated with multiple outbreaks and recalls.
  Salmonella Enteritidis, known for its resilience in egg production systems, remains a persistent risk, especially in large-scale poultry operations.
• Additional Microbiological Risks:
  Besides Salmonella, eggs were also flagged for Listeria monocytogenes contamination, though at a lower level.
  Microbiological contamination beyond Salmonella suggests potential hygiene issues in egg handling, processing, and storage.
• Chemical Contaminants Detected:
  Dioxins and sulfur dioxide/sulfites were also recorded as minor risks, indicating potential contamination from feed sources or processing environments.
  Fipronil, an insecticide banned for use in food-producing animals, was also detected in some egg samples.

Ongoing Food Safety Challenges in Eggs
The continuous elevation of Salmonella-related risks in eggs points to systemic weaknesses in biosecurity measures, farm-level hygiene, and processing controls. Despite recent recalls and regulatory interventions, the persistence of high-risk Salmonella strains underscores the need for:

• Strengthened on-farm biosecurity protocols to reduce contamination at the source.
• Stricter supply chain oversight to prevent cross-contamination during distribution.
• Enhanced consumer awareness regarding proper egg storage and cooking practices.

Analysis of Salmonella Incidents Driving the Risk in Eggs
The continued rise in Salmonella risk in February 2025 reflects a concerning series of contamination incidents across multiple countries, particularly affecting egg production, processing, and distribution systems. These incidents expose persistent vulnerabilities in food safety controls and highlight the urgent need for strengthened preventive measures at both the farm and supply chain levels.

Key Incident Findings
1. In the United States, multiple high-profile egg recalls took place due to Salmonella contamination, raising concerns over biosecurity practices and supply chain integrity.

• Several farms and distributors were impacted, with recalls spanning multiple states, further emphasizing the challenges of controlling contamination at the production level.
• Whole genome sequencing linked some of these outbreaks to previously known Salmonella strains, suggesting potential recurring contamination sources within specific processing facilities.

2. In Europe, food safety authorities issued multiple recalls of eggs across different countries, including France, Italy, and the Netherlands.

• In France, authorities flagged several batches of eggs sold in major supermarket chains due to contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis, a highly resilient strain linked to past outbreaks.
• Italy saw similar recalls, with regulatory agencies detecting Salmonella Typhimurium in egg samples during routine inspections, triggering a nationwide alert.
• In Poland and Romania, Salmonella-contaminated eggs were detected in cross-border trade inspections, highlighting the risk of international distribution of contaminated products.The presence of Salmonella in large-scale poultry farms suggests that biosecurity measures at the farm level need further reinforcement.

3. Outside Europe and the U.S., additional incidents were reported in Asia and South America, indicating that the issue of Salmonella in eggs is a truly global concern.

• Brazil and Argentina faced export restrictions following repeated detections of contaminated egg shipments in international markets.
• Japan and South Korea also reported increased Salmonella-related foodborne illness cases, linked to imported eggs and egg-based products.

Common Themes Across Incidents

• Salmonella Enteritidis remains the most frequently detected strain, followed by Salmonella Braenderup and Salmonella Typhimurium.
• Contamination is often traced back to large-scale poultry farms, with insufficient on-site testing and ineffective biosecurity protocols playing a major role.
• Packaging and distribution errors have led to contaminated eggs reaching retail shelves, emphasizing the need for stricter quality control measures at multiple stages of the supply chain.
• Regulatory gaps in cross-border trade inspections have allowed contaminated eggs to circulate internationally, further amplifying the scale of food safety risks.

Path Forward: Strengthening Safety Measures in Egg Production
The sharp rise in Salmonella risk for eggs in February 2025 highlights systemic failures in food safety management that must be addressed through:

• Enhanced farm-level surveillance, with mandatory Salmonella testing before eggs enter the supply chain.
• Improved traceability systems, ensuring that contaminated batches can be quickly identified and removed.
• Harmonized international standards for Salmonella control, particularly in countries that export eggs globally.
• Stronger biosecurity measures, such as vaccination programs for laying hens, to reduce the likelihood of contamination at the source.
• Consumer education on proper egg handling and cooking practices, mitigating risks even in cases where contaminated eggs reach the market.

The February 2025 Food Risk Index is a critical warning that Salmonella in eggs remains a persistent and growing threat. As regulatory agencies, producers, and retailers work together, proactive and preventive approaches will be crucial in reducing the risk and ensuring a safer global food supply.

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 About this Food Risk Report and EFRA 

This Food Risk Report was prepared under the EFRA project, as a Sectoral Data Report.  EFRA is a project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101093026 Project website: https://efraproject.eu/