CABI Blog

Choose your sprouts carefully

Apparently its now thought that fenugreek seeds sourced in Egypt were the cause of the recent outbreaks in Germany and France. I suggest you read today's Update on E.coli O104 outbreaks from EFSA and draw your own conclusions.

The update tells us that the particular batch of fenugreek seeds has been withdrawn from sale and a temporary ban placed on importing fenugreek and certain seeds, beans and sprouts from Egypt. In the case of the seeds, its only if these are to be sprouted. Ground spices are unaffected.

And I quote, "evidence linking the two outbreaks to the implicated batch of fenugreek seeds is not definitive and investigations are continuing in all European countries".