Posted on 05/31/2011 7:09:26 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Spanish cucumbers not to blame for German E.Coli outbreak
BREAKING NEWS: German scientists have revealed that the bacteria found in Spanish cucumbers did not cause the E.Coli outbreak in Northern Germany. This was revealed by Hamburg Health Minister Cornelia Prufer-Storcks. The Spanish government did not rule out a call for compensation from Germany for the “tremendous damage” that “speculations” had inflicted on Spain’s agriculture and food sector.
Laboratory tests in Germany last week pinpointed the cucumbers as the focus of infection, although the Spanish health authorities claimed that the vegetables could have been contaminated in transit or on arrival.
Almeria exporters complain that cucumber sales are down 100 per cent and lorry-loads are being sent back. The ban on produce exports is leading to losses of up to €200m per week.
The Environmental Minister, Rosa Aguilar, has asked the EU to intervene in the matter.
Meanwhile, German company Lidl has stopped selling cucumbers in its shops, wherever they come from.
We have to become certified in something called GAP, what a PIA but if they find something in fresh produce it will be known exactly which field it was from and who picked it. It will prevent other farmers from losing their income because the problem will be able to be traced within hours.
Eat a diet of deep fried and pre-packaged processed food and no e coli! Just sayin’.
There are places in the US that have this system now, and it should be expanded.
That said, anybody could have infected this shipment. I thought it was probably Moroccan labor (wiping with the left hand and all that yuck!) but it appears to be unidentified now.
The moral of the story is that we should all take precautions...or grow our own. Or not worry about it.
I’d hate to die from eating lettuce, but I guess there’s worse ways to go.
An E. Coli infection is pretty crappy!
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