EU bans "deadly" Egyptian seeds after E.coli report

Yesterday, a task force lead by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) concluded: “There is a high probability that fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt, which are contaminated by EHEC O104:H4 and from which sprouts were produced in a horticultural farm in Lower Saxony, are the underlying cause.​

“The consumption of the sprouts has then resulted in diseases. In some cases secondary infections transmitted by humans likewise occurred.” ​

Health and consumer commissioner John Dalli said: “The report published leads us to withdrawing some Egyptian seeds from the EU market and to a temporary ban on imports of some seeds and beans originating from that country. The Commission will continue to monitor the situation very closely and will take additional measures if necessary​".

Sampled and destroyed​

The EU ruling requires member states to ensure that all lots of fenugreek seeds imported from one Egyptian exporter between 2009 and 2011 are withdrawn from the market, sampled and destroyed. The import of all Egyptian seeds and beans for sprouting is suspended until October 31.

Both German and French outbreaks were traced to the same fenugreek seed batch imported from Egypt and used for sprout production on the farm in Lower Saxony in 2009. Another fenugreek batch was used for seed production on the same farm in April and May this year.

Contaminated sprout seeds may still be on the market and further outbreaks are to be expected, warned the EFSA report.

EFSA, ECDC and the German authorities all recommend that consumers refrain from growing sprouts for personal consumption and not to consume sprouts or germ buds which have not been thoroughly cooked.

Last year, the EU imported from Egypt about 49,000t of the types of seeds affected by the EU ban decision. Their total value was more than €56m.

Most imports of seeds for sprouting come from India and China.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UK Food Standardards Agency (FSA) told FoodProductionDaily.com: “We are meeting with industry representatives today to discuss how this (latest EU decision) affects the UK​.”

German importer​

One UK company has been linked to the outbreak in France near Bordeaux after receiving the implicated fenugreek seeds via the German importer of the affected batch, according to FSA.

Alison Gleadle, FSA director of food safety, said: “Samples of the implicated seeds from the company are currently being tested for E. coli O104:H4. However, the EFSA report emphasises that test results will not give the whole picture. Distribution records and epidemiological evidence must also be considered before the source of the outbreaks is confirmed​.”

The agency said it is working with seed suppliers and producers of sprouted seeds to evaluate their quality control systems, and will issue guidance to industry shortly.