Most E. coli strains are harmless and live in the gut of people and animals, and EU rules use E. coli as a test of hygiene in some foods. For live bivalve molluscs such as oysters and mussels, point 1.24 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 sets a limit of 230 E. coli per 100 g of flesh and liquid.
214 notifications since 1 January 2020 named E. coli above the hygiene limit, under 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 31 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 31 in the 365 days before, no change. 2% were border rejections and 75% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were Italy (68), France (39) and Spain (30). The product categories named most often were bivalve molluscs (144), milk and milk products (18) and poultry meat (13). The products named most often were mussels (70), clams (52) and cheese (14).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: E. coli fact sheet, World Health Organization; Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria, Annex I.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named E. coli above the hygiene limit
The newest 25 of 214, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9900, validated 6 November 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Portugal: E. coli above the hygiene limit in bivalve molluscs from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9632, validated 29 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9553, validated 27 October 2026.
- Alert notified by France: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Ireland, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9358, validated 21 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Italy and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9362, validated 21 October 2026.
- Alert notified by France: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Ireland, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9341, validated 20 October 2026.
- Alert notified by France: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9183, validated 15 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Norway: E. coli above the hygiene limit in basil from Thailand, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9137, validated 14 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8962, validated 8 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the European Commission: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from the Northern Ireland, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.8885, validated 7 October 2026.
- Alert notified by France: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8883, validated 7 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Ireland: E. coli above the hygiene limit and foreign bodies in clams from Ireland, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8074, validated 11 September 2026.
- Alert notified by France: E. coli above the hygiene limit in bivalve molluscs from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7763, validated 2 September 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7203, validated 13 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7031, validated 7 August 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit in oysters from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6633, validated 24 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5673, validated 26 June 2026.
- Alert notified by France: E. coli above the hygiene limit in oysters from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.4025, validated 7 May 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Italy, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.3717, validated 28 April 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Norway: E. coli above the hygiene limit in cheese from Sweden, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.2122, validated 13 March 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.1794, validated 4 March 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from Italy and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.1237, validated 13 February 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: E. coli above the hygiene limit in clams from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.1067, validated 10 February 2026.
- Alert notified by the European Commission: E. coli above the hygiene limit in mussels from the Northern Ireland, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0820, validated 30 January 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Italy: E. coli above the hygiene limit and poor temperature control or heat treatment in cheese from France, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.0467, validated 20 January 2026.
Other bacteria, viruses and parasites: Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, moulds.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 39 |
| 2021 | 40 |
| 2022 | 26 |
| 2023 | 28 |
| 2024 | 28 |
| 2025 | 28 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 25 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 5 | 2% |
| Alert | 64 | 30% |
| Information for follow up | 22 | 10% |
| Information for attention | 123 | 57% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 161 | 75% |
| Potentially serious | 10 | 5% |
| Potential risk | 9 | 4% |
| Not serious | 27 | 13% |
| Undecided | 6 | 3% |
| No risk | 1 | under 1% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Mussels | 70 |
| Clams | 52 |
| Cheese | 14 |
| Chicken meat | 12 |
| Oysters | 6 |
| Beef | 5 |
| Cockles | 4 |
| Basil | 2 |
| Betel leaves | 2 |
| Lamb or mutton | 2 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 68 | 32% |
| France | 39 | 18% |
| Spain | 30 | 14% |
| Ireland | 8 | 4% |
| Netherlands | 8 | 4% |
| Portugal | 7 | 3% |
| Sri Lanka | 6 | 3% |
| Brazil | 5 | 2% |
| United Kingdom | 5 | 2% |
| Thailand | 5 | 2% |
| Ukraine | 5 | 2% |
| Bulgaria | 4 | 2% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bivalve molluscs | 144 | 67% |
| Milk and milk products | 18 | 8% |
| Poultry meat | 13 | 6% |
| Fruit and vegetables | 12 | 6% |
| Meat other than poultry | 11 | 5% |
| Herbs and spices | 6 | 3% |
| Fish and fish products | 3 | 1% |
| Cereals and bakery products | 2 | under 1% |
| Confectionery | 1 | under 1% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 1 | under 1% |
| Gastropods | 1 | under 1% |
| Other and mixed food products | 1 | under 1% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 65 | 30% |
| France | 48 | 22% |
| Spain | 32 | 15% |
| Netherlands | 18 | 8% |
| United Kingdom | 14 | 7% |
| Germany | 7 | 3% |
| Austria | 5 | 2% |
| Poland | 5 | 2% |
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