Listeria Outbreak Linked to Truffles at Coco & Carmen Restaurant in Stockholm

Recent tests conducted by the Stockholm city environmental administration have detected high levels of listeria bacteria in truffle samples from the upscale restaurant Coco & Carmen, implicated in a significant listeria outbreak. All six tested truffle samples, delivered, prepared, and frozen in July, showed elevated listeria presence despite truffles usually being considered a low-risk product. However, it remains uncertain whether the truffles are the definitive contamination source since they were cooked at the restaurant prior to testing. Kajsa Eriksson, head of the Food Control Unit, noted that since listeria can originate from soil, they intend to further investigate if soil contamination played a role. The outbreak prompted hundreds of individuals to seek medical care. Additional analyses by the National Food Agency and Public Health Agency of Sweden are underway, aiming to compare listeria strains found in patients with those from environmental samples, although these tests will take approximately one month. Meanwhile, communication specialist Lovisa Grimsell emphasized that identifying a clear and safe source of the outbreak remains challenging amid ongoing investigations. This unfolding situation highlights serious concerns about food safety at prominent dining establishments and the complexities in tracing bacterial contamination sources.