Belgium shuts Geel poultry farm as salmonella outbreak sickens 306 and triggers recalls in eight EU nations
Belgian food safety regulators halted all operations at the Laerco poultry farm in Geel after at least 306 people fell ill, prompting egg recalls in Belgium and eight other European countries.
Detection and poultry farm shutdown
Belgian food safety authorities have traced a multi-month salmonella outbreak to the Laerco poultry farm, also known as De Pluimhoeve, located in Geel in Antwerp province. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) identified the specific bacterial strain from dust samples collected inside one of the facility's chicken barns. Initial contamination was detected in late April 2026, leading inspectors to issue a targeted product recall on 11 May 2026. At that time, authorities believed the bacteria was confined to a single barn among four on the site. Eggs from that barn were redirected strictly to industrial processing plants where pasteurisation neutralises the pathogen, while the remaining three barns continued regular distribution.
Infection counts in Belgium continued to climb despite the initial intervention, prompting inspectors to take fresh samples. Laboratory tests confirmed that the salmonella strain had spread to a second poultry barn. On 10 August 2026, the FAVV ordered an immediate halt to all operations across the entire Geel facility and initiated a comprehensive withdrawal of all eggs produced there.
- Inspectors detect salmonella bacteria at the Laerco poultry farm in Geel
- FAVV launches an initial recall and isolates one of four poultry barns
- FAVV blocks all production at the site after salmonella spreads to a second barn
- Official toll reaches at least 306 illnesses as recalls expand across eight EU nations
Cross-border recalls and caseload
By 25 August 2026, at least 306 confirmed salmonella infections in Belgium were linked to the producer. Officials matched patient stool samples against DNA profiles from the Geel farm. FAVV spokeswoman Hélène Bonte stated that the official case count likely understates the true scale of the outbreak because many individuals with mild symptoms do not seek medical care.
These are people who consulted a doctor for symptoms that could suggest food poisoning.
Because Laerco exported eggs across the European Union, the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) was triggered to coordinate preventative recalls in eight other member states: the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) confirmed that while eggs from the Geel site were distributed to a limited number of Dutch retail points, no infections have been reported in the Netherlands as of 25 August 2026. Investigators have also reviewed possible connections to a separate salmonella outbreak in the United Kingdom, though tracing has yielded no definitive link.
Retail distribution and health guidance
The recall covers barn eggs marked on the shell with four specific batch codes: 2-BE-1073-01, 2-BE-1073-02, 2-BE-1073-03, and 2-BE-1073-04. These batches were distributed widely through supermarket chains including Aldi, Carrefour, Colruyt, and Delhaize, alongside smaller local vendors. Retailers have instructed consumers not to consume eggs carrying these codes and to return them to points of purchase for a full refund.
Salmonella bacteria typically cause symptoms between 12 and 96 hours following ingestion, including fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. While healthy adults often recover within a few days without medical treatment, the infection carries elevated risks of severe complications for young children, elderly people, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Food safety officials noted that thorough cooking destroys the bacteria, but raw or undercooked preparations, such as homemade mayonnaise, present substantial contamination risks.
