Germany: Ten die from E.coli-infected cucumbers

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: BBC

The death toll in Germany from an outbreak of E.coli caused by infected cucumbers has risen to at least 10.

The cucumbers, believed to have been imported from Spain, were infected with a severe complication of E.coli called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS).

Hundreds of people are said to have fallen sick.

Officials in the Czech Republic said the cucumbers may have been exported there, as well as to Austria, Hungary and Luxembourg.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13587182?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[blaze]

1. Cripes!!!

Do you know where your food comes from?

[Odin2005]

2. Always remember to WASH YOUR RAW FRUITS & VEGGIES!

[truedelphi]

3. It's weird when you think about it -

organic farming has been around for tens of thousands of years.

Only after WWII was there this push to spray everything with pesticides and herbi9cides, and to have mono cultures planted rather than companion plants.

But only in the last twenty years do we have these really weird contaminants in the food.
The e coli cannot be washed off the plants, once on it. (I am not sure if they' re distributed inside the molecular structure of the food or what.) E coli has been around forever, but the new versions are unlike anything we have seen before, and somehow they always end up being blamed on organic farming.

[underpants]

9. Yes non-organic farming is a blip on the history line

good point. We did without all the pesticides and herbicides for thousands of years just fine.

[JackRiddler]

11. I'm sure poisonings were at least if not more common hundreds of years ago.

Which isn't a point for or against organic farming.

[truedelphi]

13. My point is that we have these new strains of old crap

E coli that is not only resistant to antibiotics and other measures in terms of clearing it out of our systems, but the E coli is not E coli that can be washed off. (At least from the reporter at the SF Chronicle that I spoke with who was writing articles about this back in 2008 or 09.)

Prior to the last five years, that was not the case. If you washed your veggies off thoroughly, the E coli was washed of. Now if it is on the produce, this more deadly strain can not be washed off. (the regular E coli still can be washed off.)

[Le Taz Hot]

12. +1 for eliminating pesticides.

I've never used pesticides in my gardens (front and back). Four years ago I purchased 2 containers of live lady bugs who proceeded to make quick work of my aphids explosion. They also bred. And bred and bred and bred . . . After they'd decimated the aphids population they migrated to other yards in the neighborhood. The really cool thing is, they come back every year so the investment just keeps paying for itself. Just thought I'd pass that along.

[snagglepuss]

4. I read another report that stated they were organic but BBC doesn't mention this.

It's be interesting to know whether they were organic or conventional.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Where could cucumbers have been before to be contaminated with E. Coli?

:yoiks:

[jbnow]

6. The contaminated spinach e-coli end up being linked

via DNA to feces from cows at a CA ranch. They grew spinach there too but most of the spinach was from surrounding area. That ranch also had feral pigs that wandered freely.

They talked about how far it could spread even via wind but mostly from it entering the water system so that through irrigation or flooding that e-coli contaminated leafy greens all around
And hundreds across the country got sick and several died

If it gets into the water used being organic or not won't offer protection

It can't be washed off either but can be killed at 160 degrees
But what it touches in the meantime, including hands, gets contaminated
Makes me want to go wash my hands although can't really soak them in 160 d water

[Corruption Winz]

7. I always knew my parents were bullshittin' me..

when they told me to eat my vegetables and fruits... I mean, O.J's a killer.

[Vinca]

8. Note to self: plant a couple of hills of cukes today.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

10. Now I have a logical reason to not like raw cucumbers

Just remember everyone, play with them - don't eat them.


:evilgrin:

[Trajan]

14. I am not sure this is clearly understood - You cannot wash this away

The E Coli inhabits the interior of the plant .... Soiled by water contaminated with fecal matter ....

It is up to the farmer to assure his produce is properly watered, free of such contamination ....