The National Reference Centre (NRC) for Salmonella at the Pasteur Institute has identified a cluster of 81 Salmonella Enteritidis strains with the same genomic profile.
The strains were isolated from individuals who became ill between May 3 and August 12, 2026. The cluster comprises 56 women and 25 men, with an average age of 36.
These individuals are distributed across 10 regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (27), Île-de-France (12), Hauts-de-France (8), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (8), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (8), Grand Est (5), Brittany (5), Occitanie (4), Pays de la Loire (2), and Normandy (2).
Investigations carried out by Public Health France in conjunction with the National Reference Centre (CNR) for Salmonella and the Ministry of Agriculture, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, point towards contamination by pumpkin seeds from a processor located in Lot-et-Garonne (47), distributed mainly in the Grand Frais store network.
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Other retail chains are also affected, both by raw seeds alone and by seed mixes containing contaminated pumpkin seeds.
Traceability investigations are ongoing to identify these distribution points and pinpoint the source of the contamination.
An inspection was carried out by the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP) of Lot-et-Garonne at the processing facility in question, but the source of the contamination could not be identified at this stage. Without waiting for the results of the investigation into the source of the contamination, the epidemiological and analytical data led the processing facility to implement a withdrawal and recall.
The withdrawal and recall operations were initiated on August 28, 2026 and will be completed by the other brands concerned.