EFSA continues to advise consumers not to grow sprouts for their own consumption and not to eat sprouts or sprouted seeds unless they have been cooked thoroughly

[tetano]

Rome: Fenugreek seeds exported from Egypt to France and Germany may have caused an E. coli outbreak that has killed 48 people in Europe, the European Food Safety Authority said Wednesday.

A "rapid risk assessment" conducted by the EFSA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), "has thus far shown" that Egyptian seeds exported in 2009 and 2010 may be implicated, it said in a statement.

"There is still much uncertainty about whether this is truly the common cause of all the infections as there are currently no positive bacteriological results," it stressed.

..

http://gulfnews.com/news/region/egypt/seeds-from-egypt-may-be-e-coli-outbreak-source-food-safety-experts-say-1.830408

[sharon sanders]

Re: NOT PROVEN - Seeds from Egypt may be E. coli outbreak source, food safety experts say

I remain very skeptical about this. I would like to see some proof.

I have been researching the disease outbreak situation in Egypt for 5 years and I have never seen a hemorrhagic diarrhea type outbreak.

I think it is very irresponsible for a major public health entity to publish a finding such as this without 100% certainty.

This looks like "The Blame Game" to me. First Spain was blamed, then a farm, then a restaurant....then......then.....

[mixin]

Re: NOT PROVEN - Seeds from Egypt may be E. coli outbreak source, food safety experts say

I agree... proof would be good.

Businesses take big losses when falsely accused of selling contaminated food.

I'm having a hard time understanding why they are having such a problem tracking this down?

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: NOT PROVEN - Seeds from Egypt may be E. coli outbreak source, food safety experts say

EFSA publishes report from its Task Force on the E. coli O104:H4 outbreaks in Germany and France in 2011 and makes further recommendations to protect consumers

Press Release

5 July 2011

The EFSA Task Force established to coordinate investigations to track down the possible source of the French and German outbreaks of E. coli O104:H4 has concluded that one lot of fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt and used to produce sprouts is the most likely common link between the two outbreaks. However, it cannot be excluded that other lots of fenugreek imported from Egypt during the period 2009-2011 may be implicated.

Based on these findings, EFSA recommends to the European Commission that all efforts be made to prevent any further consumer exposure to the suspect seeds and that forward tracing be carried out in all countries which may have received seeds from the concerned lots. In this context, EFSA continues to advise consumers not to grow sprouts for their own consumption and not to eat sprouts or sprouted seeds unless they have been cooked thoroughly.

Read more - press release EFSA

Technical report EFSA

[sharon sanders]

Re: EFSA continues to advise consumers not to grow sprouts for their own consumption and not to eat sprouts or sprouted seeds unless they have been cooked thoroughly

hat tip Dutchy -

Given the possible severe health impact of exposure to a small quantity of contaminated material, and, in the absence of information regarding the source and means of contamination and possible cross-contamination, it seems appropriate to consider all lots of fenugreek from the identified exporter as suspect. In this regard, the thus far negative test results from the microbiological tests carried out on seeds cannot be interpreted as proof that a batch is not contaminated with STEC O104:H4 since these results depend on and may be limited by both the analytical and diagnostic performance characteristics as well as by the nature of the sampling plan.


snip

As a consequence, it seems important that a trace back investigation be initiated on the incriminated lots of fenugreek seeds in the third country from which they were exported to the EU. In addition, it appears essential that Member States and third countries initiate or complete forward tracing of companies receiving the suspect lots.

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/pub/176e.htm

[Giuseppe]

Re: EFSA continues to advise consumers not to grow sprouts for their own consumption and not to eat sprouts or sprouted seeds unless they have been cooked thoroughly

[Source: European Commission, full text: (LINK). Edited.] E. coli outbreak: EU withdraws Egyptian seeds from the market and temporarily bans their import


<HR>
Reference: IP/11/831 Date: 05/07/2011

HTML: EN
PDF: EN
DOC: EN


European Commission - Press release


E. coli outbreak: EU withdraws Egyptian seeds from the market and temporarily bans their import

Brussels, 5 July 2011 ? The European Union is withdrawing from the market, and temporarily banning the import of, certain types of seeds from Egypt after Egyptian fenugreek seeds were linked to the E. coli outbreaks (O104 strain) in northern Germany and Bordeaux, France. The decision follows a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report, published earlier today, establishing a link between the outbreaks and seeds from Egypt.

Health and Consumer Commissioner John Dalli said: ?Tracing back the origins of the E. Coli 0104 contaminations in Germany and France has been a key priority for the EU from day one of the crisis. The report published today leads us to withdrawing of some Egyptian seeds from the EU market and to a temporary ban on imports of some seeds and beans originating from that country. The Commission will continue to monitor the situation very closely and will take additional measures if necessary".



The measures

In particular, the decision provides that Members States have to ensure that all lots of fenugreek seeds imported from one Egyptian exporter between 2009 and 2011 are withdrawn from the market, sampled and destroyed. Also, the decision provides that imports of Egyptian seeds and beans for sprouting<SUP>1</SUP> are suspended until October 31.

The measures, which are applicable immediately, were supported earlier today by the Member States in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) following a Commission proposal on the issue. They will be reassessed regularly on the basis of guarantees offered by Egypt, results of laboratory testing and controls carried out by the Member States.



EFSA's report

The EFSA report establishes that one lot of fenugreek seeds imported from one Egyptian exporter is the most likely common link between the two outbreaks. The report does not exclude that other lots may be implicated.

EFSA also notes that ?given the severity of the outbreaks and the absence of information on the means of contamination? it is appropriate to consider all lots of fenugreek seeds from the identified Egyptian exporter, and for the period 2009-2011, as suspect. In addition, the report notes that the contamination probably occurred before the seeds left the importer. The production or distribution process apparently allowed contamination with faecal material of human and/or animal origin. Where exactly this contamination occurred is still unknown, the report notes.



Background

The EU imports seeds for sprouting mainly from India and China. In 2010, the EU imported from Egypt about 49,000 tons of the types of seeds affected by today's decision (please see endnote). Their total value was over 56 million euros.

The German authorities first notified the Commission's services of an E. coli outbreak on May 22. All of the Commission's networks have been fully operational since then. For instance, the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed and the Early Warning and Response System ensure rapid distribution of information throughout the EU.

On June 5, a group of EU experts went to Germany to provide assistance with the epidemiology and with verifying results and contributed to the investigations to identify the source of contamination. On June 10 and 11, the German authorities confirmed, through epidemiology and laboratory testing, that the specific E. coli strain (O104), which is responsible for the outbreak, was detected in sprouts from one farm close to the city of Hamburg.

On June 23, France notified that people in the Bordeaux area got infected by E. coli after consuming bean sprouts. Laboratory tests that followed confirmed that it was the O104 strain. Today's EFSA report establishes a link between Egyptian seeds and the outbreaks in Germany and France.
The E. coli (O104) outbreak is responsible for 48 deaths in Germany and one in Sweden. The total number of cases reported in the EU, Norway and Switzerland is 4,178.


For more information, please visit:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/coli_outbreak_germany_en.htm
http://www.efsa.europa.eu



Contacts :

Frederic Vincent (+32 2 298 71 66)
Aikaterini Apostola (+32 2 298 76 24)



<SUP>1</SUP> : Seeds, fruit and spores used for sowing; leguminous vegetables, shelled or unshelled, fresh or chilled; fenugreek; dried leguminous vegetables, shelled, whether or not skinned or split; soya beans, whether or not broken; other oil seeds and oleaginous fruit, whether or not broken.


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