mystery E. coli epidemic on the continent

[ecuworrier]

this story is dramatic!  how an advanced technical nation can make such a pigs ear of it's response causing dramatic international trade tensions... is outrageous incompetent and well shocking!... the illness that's at large too is pretty chilling.... 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13613487

are we at risk? and what should our response be?

GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,

[AndrewF]

If you eat raw food you will be at risk - especially if it is 'organic'* - It all comes down to hygiene and food-handling. Since you can only contract this illness by ingestion of contaminated faecal matter, provided any raw veg is carefully washed and you take care of personal hygiene you should be OK. So far the only cases have been contracted in Germany, and since Spain exports veg all over the world, I personally suspect the source is probably local to Hamburg  where most of the cases have been.
*Organic veg is more of a risk as the only fertiliser permitted to organic growers is manure....

[ecuworrier]

If you eat raw food you will be at risk - especially if it is 'organic'* - It all comes down to hygiene and food-handling. Since you can only contract this illness by ingestion of contaminated faecal matter, provided any raw veg is carefully washed and you take care of personal hygiene you should be OK. So far the only cases have been contracted in Germany, and since Spain exports veg all over the world, I personally suspect the source is probably local to Hamburg  where most of the cases have been.
*Organic veg is more of a risk as the only fertiliser permitted to organic growers is manure....

i recall a conversation many years ago with someone ....   i was quite shocked then to hear them say as you are saying above... that they feared less chemicals in agriculture than the possibility of biological forms... but i seem to recall they worked in the field of TB...

it's perhaps surprising that we do not have more illnesses and epidemics but then maybe we do without noticing....   the hemorraghic diarriah in this instance is quite startling.... there was quite a reaction in germany according to the radio with folks refusing to eat vegetables full stop never mind salads!

seems the political front is clear that they have the answer......  it certainly had some startling repercussions including trade issues for innglish growers too

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13725953


GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,

[JJ]

Just been in Germany for the past week, and as far as I could see salads were being eaten by most.  I kept off the bean sprouts though!

[ecuworrier]

beansprouts  apparently have been the source of various illnesses according to the 'experts' who have been called in to comment...  not sure why

GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,

[AndrewF]

they were the common denominator  Ecu - that was the only thing that everyone who had the disease had eaten.
As for the 'organic' being a greater risk - it stands to reason. If your fertilizer is dung that is animal excrement. This will inevitably carry a grater risk of bugs than a factory-constructed chemical fertilizer which has had no contact with living organisms. Think about it! Having said that, *IF* your hygiene regime is good (and you do not live in a biologically sterile bubble) there should be no problem - just remember to wash the veg and your hands PROPERLY and all should be well. The trouble is that, as my OH said - 'I don't normally bother to wash supermarket veg. I suppose I should though.....' - Nor do I! (Though I think I have a fairly high degree of immunisation due to having lived on a farm for many years  :-)  )