Salmonella in raw milk cheese makes five people sick in Spain

Spanish authorities have expanded the warning about Salmonella in raw milk cheese after several people became ill.

The Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AESAN) reported five cases linked to raw milk sheep’s cheese from Spain. There are probably many more sick people than confirmed. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that for every confirmed patient, 29 are not counted.

Officials in Catalonia initially informed AESAN through the Coordinated Rapid Exchange of Information System (SCIRI) about the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis in soft cheese made with raw sheep’s milk of the Casa Mateu brand.

The affected 400 gram cheese was distributed in Valencia and Catalonia. Authorities advised people who had the product referenced in the warning not to consume it.

As part of the investigation into the salmonellosis outbreak in Catalonia, another soft cheese made with raw sheep’s milk from the Formatgeria Mas d’Eroles brand has tested positive for Salmonella.

The 400 gram product in question bears the name Trevol on the label. The lot number is 140524 and the expiration date is December 31, 2024.

Relevant information has been sent to local authorities via SCIRI to verify the removal of the affected products from the market. The Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES), a body of the Spanish Ministry of Health responsible for the national coordination of public health alerts, will be used to report the existence of other possible cases.

Two recent Salmonella outbreaks have also affected Spain. One in Badajoz sickened 25 people, five of whom required hospital treatment. Another in Madrid affected 16 people and was linked to a sauce made with eggs at a burger restaurant.

Listeria research
In a separate incident, a meat product was recalled while the investigation into a case of Listeriosis continued.

The Ministry of Health and Consumption in Andalusia reported that Listeria monocytogenes had been found in a meat product distributed in the provinces of Cadiz, Malaga and Seville by the company Fabrica de Embutidos La Serrana SL, based in the city of Olvera in Cadiz.

The label of the affected product states “Zurrapa Blanca” with batch number 211123 and an expiry date of November 21, 2024.

The only sick person is a 49-year-old man from El Arahal in Seville, who was discharged from hospital on July 26, a few days after admission.

Inspection and sampling at the production location revealed a second affected product. Listeria was found in Iberian salchichón batch 100724, dated May 10, 2025.

The company has suspended certain production activities and is holding some of its inventory while the investigation continues. Officials also asked the company to provide test results before halting sausage production.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)