Chicken being investigated as part of the salmonella outbreak which has left 340 people ill

Chicken products are now implicated alongside eggs in ongoing salmonella and E. coli outbreaks which have struck down dozens of Brits.

Investigators revealed chicken products are now believed to have also been behind the at least 207 cases in the UK since the outbreak began in Europe, with at least one person dying following infection. The outbreak has struck down 340 people across the continent with the UK being the worst affected.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said there have been 106 reported cases in the Netherlands, 15 in neighbouring Belgium, six in Germany, with four in France, two in Austria and a single case reported in Denmark. The outbreak is linked to salmonella that can cause severe illnesses in some cases.

Most people get Salmonella after eating contaminated food and the bacteria is one of the most common types of food poisoning in the UK. While this outbreak has been linked to eggs and chicken other instances have been traced back to contaminated salad leaves, cucumbers and chocolate.

The latest outbreak led retailers to accept recalled products due to possible contamination. Summit Foods is recalling numerous products amid concerns of possible Shiga-toxin producing E. coli contamination.

The recall, for England, Wales and Scotland, is for the following products:

People who have purchased any of the products have been asked to dispose of them and provide proof of purchase on [email protected], stating when and where it was bought, for a refund.

Symptoms of salmonella typically include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever. They usually show between 12 and 72 hours following an infection, and illness lasts between four to seven days.

For most people, Salmonella causes gastroenteritis that clears up on its own. But some people are at greater risk of more severe illness, including bloodstream infections, sepsis and, in rare cases, multi-organ failure.

E.coli symptoms include bad stomach cramps, bloody loose stools and vomiting in some cases.