Trend Extreme weather increasing contamination of salad crops and shellfish

Summary

In its short-term outlook for foodborne disease, the report highlights the effects of climate change and extreme weather. A changing climate and more frequent extreme weather could make food contamination in the UK more common, including in salad crops and shellfish. The report explains that conditions such as higher temperatures, which climate change may worsen, can speed the growth of foodborne microbes. It also observes that coastal, river and surface water flooding can spread pathogens onto food, and that power cuts can break the cold chain. Linking this to pollution and environmental degradation, the report warns that untreated waste released into water risks contaminating fish and shellfish.