Foodborne Illness Deaths in Belgium Doubled in 2025

According to the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain’s (FASCF’s) latest Annual Report, the number of people who died from foodborne illness doubled from six in 2024 to 12 in 2025.
Fatalities Driven by One STEC Outbreak
The majority (nine) of the 12 fatalities reported in 2025 were included in one outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections linked to ground beef consumption at 11 long-term care facilities across Belgium. More than 70 people were sickened in this outbreak, which occurred in August.
Official Controls and Enforcement Actions
At the same time, the agency conducted 182,420 inspections at 56,456 companies throughout 2025, 85.9 percent of which were satisfactory. FASFC also analyzed 62,168 samples, 98.1 percent of which were compliant with regulatory requirements.
In response to noncompliances in 2025, FASFC issued 14,776 warnings, conducted 9,954 official reports, seized products in 1,458 instances, and temporarily closed businesses 508 times.
Other key figures from the 2025 Annual Report include:
- Recalls: Belgian food companies carried out 279 product recalls in 2025, primarily due to chemical risks or microbiological hazards. Furthermore, 99 warnings were issued, mostly for the omission or incorrect provision of allergen information.
- Complaints: The Consumer Reporting Center received a record number of 6,268 complaints in 2025, representing an increase of 20 percent compared to 2024. More than half of complaints (55 percent led to boots-on-the-ground follow-up actions.
- Imports: In 2025, a total of 132,010 shipments were checked at Belgian ports, and 1,267 shipments were refused entry.
A Milestone Year for FASFC
FASFC recognized its 25th anniversary in 2025. The agency also launched its Food Hygiene Rating tool in November, which easily allows consumers to check foodservice or food retail establishments’ food safety scores.
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