EUROPEAN E. Coli Threat: A Search Is Under Way for Tainted Sprout Seeds!

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By WILLIAM NEUMAN / Published: July 5, 2011.

Authorities are frantically trying to trace all of the tainted fenugreek seeds from a large shipment linked to a deadly E. coli outbreak in Europe, saying the product was distributed more widely than previously thought.

In a new report, a large shipment of organic Egyptian fenugreek seeds was distributed to dozens of companies in at least 12 European countries, the European Food Safety Authority said on Tuesday. Investigators were still trying to determine if additional countries had received some of the seeds.

“The trace forward operation is becoming complex and widespread and may take weeks,” the report said, referring to efforts to locate the seed shipments.

Investigators are now focusing on a single shipment of more than 16 tons of Egyptian fenugreek seeds that was received by a German importer in December 2009, according to the report.

Authorities say that sprouts grown from the seed, often used in salads, were responsible for two major outbreaks of a rare strain of E. coli bacteria, known as O104:H4.

01) At least this time round, do they have enough proof to condemn the Egyptian Organic Fenugreek Seeds?

02) Or is it a some kind of maligning campaign by the GM Seed suppliers and / or Farm Chemical Manufacturers?

03) I am raising this doubt, as last Month too they blamed Spanish Cucumbers for the outbreak!

Full Story at,

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/business/06seeds.html

German Outbreak: Chinese agency says European E. coli is new strain; Russia sets ban!

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By the CNN Wire Staff / June 2, 2011 -- Updated 1336 GMT (2136 HKT)

Tomatoes and cucumbers are displayed on May 30, 2011 in a stall in a supermarket in Paris.

(CNN) -- Russia has announced a ban on fresh vegetable imports from the European Union in the wake of a deadly outbreak from a possibly new E. coli strain that has swept across parts of Europe.

It was a Chinese research institute blamed the outbreak on a new E. coli strain, though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the strain has been seen before.

Scientists at the Beijing Genomic Institute said the outbreak of infection in Germany is caused by a new "super-toxic" E. coli strain.

Hope, this blows over fast!

Full story at,

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/02/europe.e.coli/

German Outbreak: E. coli outbreak claims 14th victim, more deaths “probable”

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DPA / The Hindu.

Photo Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escherichia_coli.

An E coli outbreak suspected to have been caused by tainted vegetables has claimed 14 victims in Germany, authorities said on Monday, while more deaths were “probable” and shipments of “suspect cucumbers” to five other European countries had been traced.

In the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, a 91-year-old woman, who was also suffering from other health problems, died on Sunday, while on Monday a woman aged between 40 and 50 also died after becoming infected with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC).

A third woman, aged 87, and a 75-year-old man died in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Monday. The latest victims are the first outside northern Germany. Of the 14 people who have died in the outbreak, 12 have been women.

So far I only knew E. Coli Virus 

faeces and in some untreated underground water and could infect through the infected humans or other mammals.

But the discovery that it could infect through the consumption of vegetables is chilling to note.

Full story at,

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2065591.ece