Spanish cucumbers ruled out as source in German E. coli outbreak

[News_Editor]

Spanish cucumbers ruled out as source in German E. coli outbreak

2011-06-02 05:53:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

BERLIN, GERMANY (BNO NEWS) -- Germany's mysterious E. coli outbreak, which has affected over 1,000 people and killed at least 16, is not getting any clearer as tests ruled out Spanish cucumbers as sources of the outbreak.

According to an announcement by the European Union (EU) on Wednesday, the latest results of the tests on cucumber samples, carried out by the competent authorities of both Germany and Spain, "showed that the Spanish vegetable is not responsible for the Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC) outbreak affecting Germany and other Member States."

German authorities informed the European Commission Wednesday afternoon that they had concluded all tests on the samples they collected. Despite the fact that some of the sampled cucumbers did test positive to STEC, authorities said the tests did not confirm the presence of the specific serotype, which is responsible for the outbreak affecting humans.

Furthermore, Spanish authorities carried out similar tests on cucumber samples, but they also rendered negative results.

As a result, the European Commission has removed the alert notification on Spanish cucumbers from the Rapid Alert System on Food and Feed.

Meanwhile, Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli on Wednesday morning urged EU Member States and in particular Germany to increase their efforts to fight the outbreak.

On Tuesday, Swedish hospital Sodra Alvsborg Hospital Boras confirmed the country's first E. coli outbreak-related death after a woman in her 50s died as a result of the Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli bacteria. She had fallen ill after a trip to Germany, and her death marks the 16th and the first outside Germany.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-02

[maidu]

For years, I've got in the habit of peeling cukes - perhaps partially influenced by the Thai propensity to server cukes already peeled.

With sweet peppers and tomatoes, I always wash with a bit of dish soap before eating.

Consumers could take it a step further and rinse veges with a highly diluted clorox ('haiter' in Thai) solution.

for what it's worth: Lenny Bruce, the great American stand-up comic, never ate fresh veges, after he observed migrant workers picking veges in the same field as they pooped.

[astral]

The latest news that the e-coli bacteria is a form never seen before, is even more worrying.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13626499

[David006]

The latest news that the e-coli bacteria is a form never seen before, is even more worrying.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13626499

The BBC world news stated that the Germans said ALL the infected individuals were women?? I thought hmm strange ...then I thought ...cucumbers ...women....hmmmm ..surely not???...lol

[Scott]

It may be due to the fact that the big consumers of fresh salad are females. Not sure.

Where did you hear/read that all the victims are female?

[samurai]

It may be due to the fact that the big consumers of fresh salad are females. Not sure.

Where did you hear/read that all the victims are female?

I always thought it are gays and those metrosexuals who eat these salads.

[Scott]

In my experience with gays and metrosexuals, they are not the big consumers of salads. They are more likely to go to the gym to builde muscles and to eat a higher protein diet.

However, we digress.

[samurai]

In my experience with gays and metrosexuals, they are not the big consumers of salads. They are more likely to go to the gym to builde muscles and to eat a higher protein diet.

However, we digress.

No, i mean the other gays, those who like to go shopping and eat salads.

Women eat the normal stuff like anyone else, with few exemption. These exemptions live on one carrot over the day. Some of them sneak to the fridge at night and eat lard. But none of them eats actually salads.