Bean Sprouts Blamed for E. Coli Outbreak
Update:
Preliminary tests prove negative for E. coli in bean sprouts from an organic farm in the Uelzen district of the German state of Lower Saxony. 23 out of 40 sprout samples from the farm came back negative for the bacteria. 17 samples are undergoing further testing which won’t be available for 7-10 days.
Hamburg, Germany is the epicenter for what is now the deadliest E. Coli outbreak in modern history. 21 people have died and 2,200 people have fallen ill, including over 600 with a rare disease that causes kidney failure and other dangerous symptoms.
While German health officials haven’t ruled out tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce entirely, they are confident that the bacterial outbreak originated in 17 different kinds of bean sprouts on an organic farm. So they took the popular salad item off the menu across the country until further notice.
Bean sprouts are the perfect incubator for E. coli and they have been linked to previous outbreaks, including one in Japan in 1996. According to the Lower Saxony Agriculture Ministry Gert Lindemann, the farm grows 18 types of sprouts and cultivates them in liquor barrels at a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the sprouts are watered with steam.
“Those are also optimal conditions for the germ of all germs.” — Gert Lindemann, Lower Saxony Agriculture Minister
U.S. health officials periodically warn people against eating bean and alfalfa sprouts since both are known to carry E. coli.
This strain is new and scientists say it combines the genes of two other strains of E. coli to create a deadly bacteria.
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