Salmonella is one of those words every food business has heard. It’s also one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the UK. It’s not rare. It’s not unusual. And it’s not only found in badly run kitchens.
Salmonella shows up when everyday controls slip. Usually on busy days. Usually when people feel rushed or distracted.
You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. Food can look fine and still make someone seriously ill. That’s why control matters more than good intentions.
This guide breaks salmonella down in plain terms. What it is, where it comes from, how it spreads and what you need to do in a real working kitchen to keep it under control.
What salmonella actually is
Salmonella is a harmful type of bacteria. It lives in the intestines of animals and birds. It leaves the body in faeces and spreads through tiny traces that get onto food, hands, equipment and surfaces.
Once someone eats it, the bacteria multiply in the gut and cause illness.
The key thing to understand is this. You don’t need a lot of salmonella to make someone ill. Very small amounts are enough. That’s why small mistakes can have big consequences.
Where salmonella comes from
Most kitchens already handle foods that can carry salmonella. That doesn’t mean those foods are unsafe. It means they must be controlled properly.
Common high risk sources include raw poultry like chicken and turkey, raw or lightly cooked eggs, raw meat, unpasteurised milk and dairy and raw ingredients contaminated during processing.
People are also a major source. Dirty hands after handling raw food or using the toilet can spread salmonella fast.
It’s important to remember that salmonella doesn’t stay on the food. It moves around the kitchen. Boards, knives, taps, fridge handles, cloths and even phones can all carry it if controls slip.
How salmonella spreads in busy kitchens
This is where most problems happen.
The main routes of spread are cross contamination from raw to ready to eat food, poor handwashing, shared equipment that isn’t cleaned properly and cloths and sponges spreading bacteria around.
Other common issues include raw food stored above cooked food, drips and splashes inside fridges, undercooking food and cooling food too slowly.
Most salmonella outbreaks aren’t caused by bad food. They’re caused by people making small mistakes under pressure.
Think about a busy service. Raw chicken is prepped. Someone wipes the surface quickly. Then salad is plated in the same area. That’s all it takes.
Temperature control and the danger zone
Salmonella grows fastest between 5°C and 63°C. This is known as the danger zone.
Chilling slows growth but doesn’t kill bacteria. Cooking properly kills salmonella. Poor cooling allows it to multiply quickly. Warm kitchens speed everything up.
This is why time and temperature control are so important.
A tray of cooked chicken left out too long isn’t just a quality issue. It’s one mistake away from making someone ill.
Using temperature probes, checking fridge temperatures and cooling food quickly aren’t paperwork exercises. They’re controls that protect people.
Symptoms and who is most at risk
Symptoms usually appear between 6 and 72 hours after eating contaminated food.
Common symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever, sickness, vomiting and dehydration.
Most healthy adults recover in a few days. But not everyone does.
Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at much higher risk. For them, food poisoning can mean hospital stays, long term health problems and in rare cases, death.
Food poisoning isn’t just a bad stomach. It’s a serious health issue.
What salmonella means for your business
If salmonella is linked to your food business, the impact can be huge.
Customers can become seriously ill. Environmental Health will investigate. Records will be checked. Processes will be questioned. Reputation damage spreads fast, especially online.
Businesses can be closed temporarily. Prosecutions and fines are possible. Even when you reopen, trust can be hard to rebuild.
Good controls and good records don’t just protect customers. They protect the business.
Inspectors from organisations like the Food Standards Agency want to see that food safety is understood, not just written down.
Practical controls that stop salmonella
The good news is that salmonella is easy to control when the basics are done properly.
Cooking is critical. Poultry must be cooked thoroughly. Core temperature checks matter. Visual checks alone aren’t enough, even if the food looks done.
Cross contamination must be controlled. Raw and ready to eat foods should be kept separate at all times. Use dedicated boards and knives. Keep clear workflows so raw food never crosses paths with ready to eat food.
Hand hygiene matters every shift. Hands must be washed after handling raw food, after the toilet and before touching ready to eat food. Gloves don’t replace handwashing. They can make things worse if used badly.
Cleaning must be done properly. Clean first, then disinfect. Focus on high touch points like handles, switches and taps. Cloths must be controlled and changed often.
Chilling and storage are key. Fridges should be at 5°C or below. Raw food must be stored below cooked food. Don’t overload fridges as cold air needs to circulate.
Cooling food safely is often missed. Cool food quickly using shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Leaving food to cool on the side is a common mistake.
Checking and records bring it all together. Temperatures should be checked and recorded. Problems must be acted on straight away. Evidence should be kept.
What to do when things go wrong
No kitchen is perfect. What matters is how problems are handled.
If food is under temperature, it should be cooked further or thrown away. If a fridge is above the limit, investigate straight away and assess the food inside. If there’s a risk of cross contamination, the food must be disposed of.
Equipment failures should be reported immediately. Don’t ignore small issues.
And always write it down. If it isn’t recorded, it didn’t happen in the eyes of an inspector.
What inspectors look for
Inspectors don’t just look at paperwork. They look at understanding.
They want to see clear separation of raw and cooked food, staff who know why controls matter, clean and organised workspaces, up to date records and evidence that corrective actions are taken.
They’re checking confidence in how the business is managed day to day.
Keeping salmonella under control every day
Salmonella isn’t beaten by luck or good intentions. It’s controlled by good habits, clear systems, proper checks and acting when something goes wrong.
Every shift. Every day.
If managing all of this feels time consuming, it doesn’t have to be. A good food safety system can make checks quicker, records clearer and problems easier to spot.
If you’d like to see how a Food Safety App can help you stay compliant, save time and keep control without the stress, it’s worth taking a look.