Salmonella outbreak in Girona, Spain

On 24 June 2002 the Departament de Sanitat i Seguretat Social de Generalitat de Catalunya (department of health and social security of the regional government of Catalonia) was notified of several cases of gastroenteritis with fever in people who had all eaten pastries known as ‘cocas.’ These pastries, which are made with eggs and have a custard filling, are produced for the festival of San Juan, which takes place annually in Catalonia on the evening of 23 June. The ‘cocas’ were all made and purchased at the same bakery in a tourist town in the province of Girona. The eggs used to make the custard in this bakery were pasteurised and cooked. The bakery is now under investigation. Three other bakeries also made and sold ‘cocas’ on 23 June, but none of the cases have been linked to these establishments.