I had never heard of whelks, which are apparently sea snails, and I don’t buy seafood from trucks parked at the side of the road.

But according to the UK Food Standards Agency, an outbreak of Salmonella Gold-coast has sickened at least 18 people, largely in the East Anglia area.

The investigation has identified potential links between the outbreak and the consumption of whelks from independent shops, market stalls and mobile seafood vans. As part of this investigation, Lynn Shellfish Ltd of King’s Lynn (formally known as Heiploeg or Heiploeg and Lynn Shrimpers) has issued a recall of all batches of frozen and chilled whelks.