German E. coli farm not at fault
Source: Agencies |
June 12, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
OFFICIALS investigating an organic farm in northern Germany said yesterday they do not expect to take legal action against it for causing an E. coli outbreak that has killed at least 33 people.
Authorities link the epidemic, the deadliest in modern history, to contaminated bean sprouts and shoots grown at the farm that made their way to restaurants and kitchens across the country.
"Everything we have looked into until now shows the farm was flawless," said Gert Hahne, spokesman for the consumer protection office of Lower Saxony State. "It is hygienic and followed all the regulations.
"No matter how you look at it we don't see any fault with the farm or legal ground to hold them accountable," he said by telephone.
"You cannot punish someone for having bad luck."
However, the farm has been shut down.
Authorities say results of tests taken there have yet to place E. coli on site, but that some 500 samples are still being examined - including some from the farm's seeds, which came from Europe and Asia.
The German government had come under fire at home and around Europe for failing to pin down the cause of the month-long outbreak, which only on Friday was officially identified as having come from the bean sprouts.
Scientists said then that traces of the deadly strain were detected in a packet of bean sprouts from the farm found in a family's rubbish bin after two of the family members fell ill from eating them.
The results were confirmed yesterday.
About a quarter of the nearly 3,000 people sick from E. coli have developed a severe complication from the bacteria called haemolytic uraemic syndrome, or HUS, which affects the blood, kidneys and nervous system.
Authorities have warned that the particularly virulent outbreak is still a threat, and the death toll may rise despite signs of a slowdown in new infections.
Germany's health minister said he's hopeful that the worst of the E. coli outbreak is over - but warned that the number of deaths may still increase.
Minister Daniel Bahr's comments came after health officials also lifted a warning against eating cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce, which initially had been suspected as possible culprits.
The outbreak prompted many in Europe to shun vegetables over recent weeks.
"The (E. coli) wave is gradually abating - there is reason to hope the worst is now over," Bahr was quoted yesterday as telling the Bild am Sonntag.
He added a major new flare-up is "very unlikely."
However, "further deaths are not ruled out, as painful as that is," he said.
Authorities link the epidemic, the deadliest in modern history, to contaminated bean sprouts and shoots grown at the farm that made their way to restaurants and kitchens across the country.
"Everything we have looked into until now shows the farm was flawless," said Gert Hahne, spokesman for the consumer protection office of Lower Saxony State. "It is hygienic and followed all the regulations.
"No matter how you look at it we don't see any fault with the farm or legal ground to hold them accountable," he said by telephone.
"You cannot punish someone for having bad luck."
However, the farm has been shut down.
Authorities say results of tests taken there have yet to place E. coli on site, but that some 500 samples are still being examined - including some from the farm's seeds, which came from Europe and Asia.
The German government had come under fire at home and around Europe for failing to pin down the cause of the month-long outbreak, which only on Friday was officially identified as having come from the bean sprouts.
Scientists said then that traces of the deadly strain were detected in a packet of bean sprouts from the farm found in a family's rubbish bin after two of the family members fell ill from eating them.
The results were confirmed yesterday.
About a quarter of the nearly 3,000 people sick from E. coli have developed a severe complication from the bacteria called haemolytic uraemic syndrome, or HUS, which affects the blood, kidneys and nervous system.
Authorities have warned that the particularly virulent outbreak is still a threat, and the death toll may rise despite signs of a slowdown in new infections.
Germany's health minister said he's hopeful that the worst of the E. coli outbreak is over - but warned that the number of deaths may still increase.
Minister Daniel Bahr's comments came after health officials also lifted a warning against eating cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce, which initially had been suspected as possible culprits.
The outbreak prompted many in Europe to shun vegetables over recent weeks.
"The (E. coli) wave is gradually abating - there is reason to hope the worst is now over," Bahr was quoted yesterday as telling the Bild am Sonntag.
He added a major new flare-up is "very unlikely."
However, "further deaths are not ruled out, as painful as that is," he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
