"The checks conducted by regional and national health authorities, as well as the data reported in the recent joint report by ECDC and EFSA, have not detected any cases of contamination in tomato samples taken in Sicily. What salmonella? Sicilian cherry tomatoes are good for your health and taste delicious!"

This was stated by Luca Sammartino , Councillor for Agriculture and Vice President of the Sicilian Region, "regarding the news spread in recent days by some media outlets regarding alleged salmonella outbreaks in agricultural products from Sicily," as reported in the official press release from Palazzo d'Orleans.

The news was released after an official note from the ECDC, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, according to which a prolonged outbreak of Salmonella Strathcona in multiple European Union countries has led to the reporting of 437 confirmed cases in 17 EU countries between 1 January 2023 and 30 September 2025. "According to recent investigations conducted in Austria in 2025 - the ECDC underlines in its press release - they have identified cherry tomatoes from Sicily, Italy, as the source of infection, in line with the findings of previous outbreaks in Italy (2024) and Austria (2023)" (read EFA News ).