Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls,Salmonella on July 3, 2025
Visitors to a music festival in Spain left with more than just fun concert memories.
Many left with food poisoning!
As temperatures rise and these outdoor events begin popping up, this is a great time to talk about the importance of food safety at outdoor events.
Food vendors are held to food safety standards. However, there are a few things you can look out for to make informed food choices when at events like this.
The Trasan Fest music festival in Spain was held in the village of Trasanquelos, in Oza-Cesuras on June 27 and 28, 2025.
According to El Pais, the venue has a capacity limited to just over a thousand people. At least ten percent of which fell sick from unsafe food served at the event.
Initial reports indicated that 94 people with illness consistent with Salmonella infection attended this music festival in Spain prior to becoming sick. As more information has come in from Madrid and Asturias, the number of suspected cases has risen to 162.
Outbreak patients complained of symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, and fever. Based on similar symptoms and illness timeline, investigators suspected a common exposure source.
At least 22 people have been hospitalized. There have been no reported deaths associated with this outbreak as of July 1, 2025. However, this statistic may change if conditions of more vulnerable patients worsen.
There have been at least three confirmed positive Salmonella laboratory tests, linking this germ to sick festival goers.
This number is also expected to rise as more information becomes available, and laboratory results are analyzed.
Local officials have traced a suspected food source to “improperly stored or prepared tortillas sold at one of the event’s food stands.”
According to reports, a food known as Tortilla Española or “tortilla de patatas/papas.” A type of frittata or omelet made with eggs and potatoes.
Two major factors stuck out to me about this Trasan Fest music festival in Spain. The type of food suspected as the common exposure source and the discussed heatwave experienced during the festival.
As an American, when I hear the word “tortilla,” images of tacos, quesadillas, and chips come to mind. But Tortillas Española are something else entirely.
I was curious. So I looked up a few recipes. These party foods are made up of layers of potatoes (often with onions) cooked in a round shape. Beaten eggs are added and the dish is cooked omelet style. Pieces are served in wedges either “warm or at room temperature.”
That is what took me off guard.
Multiple sources indicate that the dish is served at room temperature and that can “sit out for a few hours without refrigeration.” One even gave a three-hour window “before” serving.
A strong contraction to the FDA’s two-hour danger zone limit.
The danger zone is the temperature range between 40°F and 140° F, where bacteria can rapidly multiple to infectious numbers.
For food safety, temperature sensitive foods should not remain in that temperature range for more than two hours (one hour if ambient temperature is above 90° F).
A recent study found that for every 1° C increase in temperature, the risk of Salmonella and Campylobacter infections increases by 5%
Hot foods should be kept hot. Cold foods should be kept cold. Time should be limited in between.
Southern Europe is currently experiencing a heatwave. These high temperatures and a “heat dome” phenomenon have prompted health warnings across the continent.
Spain has been especially hit hard by this high-temperature weather. This could also be a factor contributing to the Salmonella outbreak.
With the Trasan Fest music festival being held outdoors and in extreme heat, food vendors have an especially difficult job of keeping food out of that danger zone.
When it comes to food that is typically served at ‘room temperature,’ this consideration may or may not have been accounted for.
Salmonella are microscopic bacteria known to cause illness in humans and animals. People often become sick from consuming something contaminated with the bacteria.
Contact with animals can also spread this illness. But more often than not, this is associated with food or contaminated water.
Fortunately, not everyone who becomes sick experiences serious illness. Some people are able to rest and hydrate until symptoms pass.
Others are not so lucky. In fact, certain groups of people are more likely to become sick if exposed, or experience more severe illnesses if infected.
Those in higher risk groups include:
Symptoms of Salmonella infection usually involve nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and fever.
Infected people usually begin feeling sick anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days after exposure. Most of the time people feel better within a week.
Severity can vary from person to person.
In some cases, the germ can get into the bloodstream and cause additional, potentially life-threatening complications. You may develop arterial infections (infected aneurysms, endocarditis, or a condition known as reactive arthritis that can persist long-term).
Seek medical attention if you experience diarrhea lasting more than two days or experience a fever higher than 102° F, as these could be a sign of severe infection or complications.
Most of the time Salmonella bacteria are limited to the intestinal tract. However, in some cases, the bacteria can breach the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. When this happens, bacteria may infect the urinary tract, blood, bones, joints, and even the nervous system.
Common Salmonella complications include bacteremia, irritable bowel syndrome, and reactive arthritis that can affect other parts of the body.
Bacteremia associated with Salmonella infections can affect many different tissues in the body. Resulting in a variety of infections.
Potential bacteremia infections include:
Irritable bowel syndrome is another common complication of Salmonella illness. In some cases, it can take quite some time before bowel habits return to normal.
Reactive arthritis, a condition affecting the collagen in the joints, eyes, and urethra, is a common complication. This type of infection causes joint pain, irritation of the eyes, and pain during urination. Reactive arthritis symptoms may last for months or even years in some people.
With this terrible Salmonella in the news, we are faced with a good opportunity to talk about food safety at festivals.
We expect that anyone serving food is maintaining safe practices. But that isn’t always the case. Following a few simple tips can make sure that your festival memories are memorable for good reasons.
If food is being prepared on-site, food service employees should have a place to wash their hands. If this isn’t the case, you may want to select something else.
Hand-washing stations do not have to be elaborate. In some cases it can be as simple as a soap dispenser on top of a water dispenser that is held over a bucket to catch the gray water.
It may be easier to eat before you get to the venue. Remove the risk of foodborne illness by deciding not to eat there. Most of the time, packaged drinks should be safe. Especially if they are commercially made.
If you do need to eat while you are there, be sure to select foods that are freshly prepared.
Food should be steaming hot. Select food vendors where foods are freshly prepared. It is a good idea to avoid ones that precook food and allow them to sit under a heat lamp until they are purchased.
You have no idea how long they have been sitting. The longer temperature sensitive foods sit in the danger zone, the higher your risk of foodborne illness.
If you have been impacted by a Salmonella or other foodborne illness outbreak, you may have a legal claim to cover medical bills, lost work, and expenses associated with other burdens of foodborne illness. The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Salmonella lawyer that can help.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has successfully represented cases just like yours and won millions of dollars in food poisoning and products liabilities lawsuits.
Reach out by calling (833) 330-3663 or send us an email for a free, no obligation consultation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)