August 16, 2011
German E. coli outbreak: After the outbreak the learning begins - Sponsored by Zetes
The German E. coli contamination that has killed more than 50 people is now officially over, according to health officials.
But the scale of this event ensures a lengthy aftermath.
It is telling that a week after officials stated that the E. coli outbreak in Germany was over, just-food is reporting an outbreak of salmonella in the US which has killed one person and made another 70 ill.
What does this suggest to us?
That such food scares are more prevalent?
Some would say yes and may point to industrialised food production and intensified agriculture as the cause.
Others would counter by saying that we need mass-produced food and the science that has made it possible has concurrently contributed to making large-scale food production ever safer.
On that debate, you can pay your money and take your choice.
However, the quick succession of these two events definitely reminds us that such contaminations - while technically avoidable and therefore not 'inevitable' - do happen.
It is an apparent and regrettable truth that the one we are currently dealing with - or reporting on - will not be the last.
In all, 52 people died from the German E. coli outbreak, which is a chilling statistic when compared with other large-scale contaminations.
The outbreak of E. coli in spinach in the US in 2007, which was considered a major contamination at the time, only resulted in three deaths.
The salmonella in peanuts contamination two years later, also in the US, resulted in nine deaths.
Some 4,300 people became ill as a result of the German outbreak, compared with around 200 in the 2007 outbreak and 700Only tweak in 2009.
But, the personal tragedy these figures represent can also spawn technological and procedural improvements which can reduce the risk of something similar happening.
Given that the outbreak first began in May and it was some weeks before it was accurately traced to fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt into Germany, with Spanish cucumbers initially blamed in error, questions have been asked as to whether mistakes were made at that vital early stage.
For just-food's full coverage of the outbreak and its recently published analysis of the aftermath, click here.
Until next time...
Dean Best
Managing Editor
Web: http://www.just-food.com
Email: editor@just-food.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/just_food
