Investigators searching for the source of E-coli contamination which killed 31 and sickened thousands, mostly in Germany, has been found says John Dalli, European commissioner for health and consumer policy. The source of the contamination has been liked to an organic farm. Dalli said, “The source of contamination is now identified, and the epidemiological findings are backed by laboratory results. EU consumers and trade partners shall now have full confidence as regards the safety of EU’s vegetables.”
Authorities have been searching for the source of the food borne illness for weeks and, at first, Spanish cucumbers seemed the likely culprit. Officials are still recommending people avoiding eating cucumbers and other fresh vegetables.
Tracking down a foodborne illness can be very difficult. Investigators interviewed those with diarrhea, those hospitalized, and those with the severe complication of HUS kidney syndrome, on what and where they ate and the ingredients contained in the foods they ate.
Even thought the source of the contamination — the German organic farm — has been found, investigators still have not determined the source of the contamination whether it was in the water, animals nearby or if the plant seeds were contaminated.
E-coli and salmonella contamination of bean sprouts has caused illness in the U.S. in the past. The warm and humid conditions required for growing sprouts can be havens for the propagation and growth of both e-coli and salmonella bacteria. Sprouts have been the source of almost 40 foodborne illness outbreaks in the past 20 years.
In 1996, contaminated sprouts in Japan were blamed for illness that killed 11 people and sickened 9,000.
In 2010, 94 people were sickened after eating sandwiches topped with alfalfa sprouts served by Jimmy John’s restaurants. The source of the food contamination in that outbreak was found to be in alfalfa sprouts supplied by Tiny Greens Organic farm.
Both Salmonella and E-coli are the two major food-contamination risks that affects our food supply. The bacteria are generally spread by animal feces. Water can become contaminated from runoff from livestock and poultry farms and when it reaches a produce form, it can infect the produce.
Consumers expect our food producers to do due diligence to make sure our food supply is safe.
This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have become seriously ill due to foodborne illness and the families of those who have died.