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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Organic food linked to E. coli outbreak? by Smita Pandey

Organic food linked to E. coli outbreak? by Smita Pandey

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published Published on Jun 12, 2011   modified Modified on Jun 12, 2011
If you are a health food freak who lives on salads and swears by the benefits of organically grown raw vegetables, it's time for a reality check. In 16 countries across the globe, nearly 3,000 people have been sickened and 29 have died after eating raw vegetables contaminated by a group of bacteria collectively called Escherichia coli ( E. coli).

Authorities first cited contaminated Spanish cucumbers as the culprit and now organically grown sprouts from Germany are being seen as the most likely cause. The source of the infection still remains a mystery. Experts believe organic sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes or lettuce contaminated somewhere between farm and fork have caused the disease.

Scientists say the outbreak has been caused by a rare toxic mutant of E coli that causes abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhoea. In severe cases, it leads to acute kidney failure and even seizure, coma and death. Germany, where the outbreak originated, has reported 722 cases of kidney failure, including 18 fatalities, says WHO.

The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says the E coli outbreak is one of the largest worldwide and the largest ever reported in Germany. Most of the victims were women and it is not known why.

Dr Helge Karch, of University Hospital Munster in Germany, who identified the bacterial strain behind the outbreak, says it is a hybrid clone that contains genetic material from various bacteria. Karch says the strain shows very high antibiotic resistance and is more toxic than its parent.

The findings raises questions about methods used in organic farming.

Organic foods are by definition fertilized with animal manure and that's where E coli exist. ECDC says these bacteria are found in the lower intestine of mammals. This leads experts to believe that the German outbreak most likely occurred due to contamination through manure in organic farms, from a sewage leak in the irrigation supply or from a worker handling the produce.

If cattle manure is used as fertilizer, it is entirely possible that vegetables could be contaminated with fecal matter, Dr Jonathan Fletcher, lecturer of microbiology at the University of Bradford in UK, told TOI. There should have been stringent washing procedures to remove this, and consumers or restaurant owners should also have been advised to wash the vegetables before eating, he said.

Even in the past, several studies have found higher levels of E coli on organic vegetables compared to others. In 2006, a large E coli outbreak was linked to an organic spinach farm in California. Around 205 people were infected and three died due to the illness. WHO says the main advice is to wash one's hands after using the toilet and before consuming food; and to wash food thoroughly with clean water, especially if it is consumed raw. Peeling or cooking fruit and vegetables can also remove these germs, says Fletcher.

The Times of India, 12 June, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Organic-food-linked-to-E-coli-outbreak/articleshow/8818965.cms


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