Spain implicated in e-coli deaths

 

A number of Spanish salad farmers are currently under the spotlight in connection with an outbreak of e-coli in Germany.

The bacterial strain in question is hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a serious complication of e-coli and requires intensive hospital treatment. So far, over 214 cases have been identified resulting in 5 deaths and is thought to have spread to other scandinavian countries.

The European Commission's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed reported how two companies from Andalucia may be implicated and that any product that may have been in contact with the infected batch had been removed, according to Spain's Health Ministry.

"While the cucumbers were produced in Spain, an investigation must find out at what stage of the production chain the contamination occurred," the Ministry said.

The ministry says that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the E. coli infection lay in cucumbers themselves or had developed during their transport to Germany or whilst in handling and storage there. The statement said an unnamed company in the Netherlands was also mentioned in the EU alert.