A beef recall ordered by French health authorities is bringing attention to an apparent spike in E. coli infections in some other European countries.
After seven French children were infected with E. coli bacteria and hospitalized, France ordered the Lidl supermarket chain to recall beef burgers. European Union countries last year experienced 3,500 cases of E. coli and 93 of those were in France.
E. coli outbreaks in German and Sweden are responsible for 39 deaths in recent months. In France, the seven children were hospitalized with symptoms including often severe vomiting, and often bloody diarrhea.
Five of the seven children ate ground beef patties produced in France, but sold by the German supermarket chain Lidl. One of the children was reported to be in a life-threatening condition.
SEB, Lidl’s French beef supplier, says it products are sourced from farms in France, Germany and the Netherlands. About 10 tons of beef are subject to the recall. The family of one of the children took a box of the beef patties into health authorties for testing.
French Health Minister Xavier Bertrand says work is underway to determine the origin of the outbreak and to impose stricter controls at production sites.
French health officials have not linked the outbreak involving the seven children with the larger recent outbreaks in Germany and Sweden. They have ruled out any connection to the deadly E. coli O104: H4 strain that stuck Northern Germany in 2011.
The recent German E. coli outbreak was traced to sprouts from a farm in north Germany, which consumers are also being warned not to consume.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
from Food Safety News » Food Recalls http://ift.tt/1RwInQH
No comments:
Post a Comment