Food hygiene warning after salmonella linked to Spanish eggs

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) was forced to raise the alarm over food safety after a number of salmonella deaths were linked to Spanish eggs.

Around 136 cases have been reported so far this year, although the FSA took prompt action and alerted Spanish authorities to the case this week, reports the Press Association.

Dr Joe Kearney, a Health Protection Agency regional director and chairman of the outbreak control team, said: "The FSA formally alerted the Spanish authorities to the situation and as a result measures have been taken to eliminate the risk of contamination."

The news comes as the FSA published the results of its biannual public attitudes tracker survey, which mapped out knowledge and opinions on food safety between November 2010 and May 2011.

Basic food hygiene certificates have helped the public become more informed, with the study saying that 82 per cent of respondents reported being aware of hygiene standards at the places they eat out at or buy food from.