The source of killer bacteria related to the E.coli outbreak remained elusive yesterday after Germany announced that initial tests on suspected organic sprouts had proved negative, while the outbreak’s death toll grew to 23.
The probes were carried out on a farm in the northern state of Lower Saxony after Regional Agriculture Minister Gerd Lindermann said a link had been found to the main areas hit by the E.coli outbreak.
Results available from 23 of the 40 samples of seeds, water, ventilation and work surfaces tested indicated they were free of the bacteria responsible for 23 deaths and more than 2,000 people falling ill, the state’s Agriculture Ministry said.
“Investigations are continuing,” the ministry said, adding that it did not expect “any short-term conclusions”.
Federal Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said Germany would maintain warnings against eating sprouts as well as tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers, particularly in the north of the country, until the origin had been pinpointed.
But Andreas Hensel, head of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, said that “it is possible we shall never be able to identify the source” of the contamination.
Ms Aigner said investigations were continuing with checks on vegetable supply chains and producers up and down the country. She is travelling to Luxembourg today to attend an emergency meeting of EU agriculture ministers which is to discuss aid for farmers who are unable to sell their vegetables because of growing consumer fears.
Meanwhile the European Commission is urging states to back special compensation for farmers whose sales of fresh produce have evaporated amid a lethal E.coli bacterial outbreak centred on Germany.
At talks between EU health ministers in Luxembourg, EU health commissioner John Dalli said Brussels would review the bloc’s food safety alert system after Spain said it should be improved and strengthened.