By spice mixtures no EHEC danger

By spice mixtures no EHEC danger

01/07/2011

On Thursday, the news agencies reported that a total of two European authorities assume that so-called fenugreek seeds from Egypt could be contaminated with dangerous EHEC germs. The offending seeds are processed in numerous foods. Thus, the spice mixtures can be found in products such as cheese, curry mixes and protein-containing fitness powders. Health experts, however, assess the bacterial danger as low and warn of a scare tactic.

„The EHEC lane leads to Egypt“ was yesterday in large letters of the daily newspapers to read. In fact, two EU authorities have warned of a potential threat of Egyptian fenugreek seeds that have been contaminated with EHEC bacteria. But now there is disagreement among the experts as to whether there is actually an acute danger to the human through the seeds.

Spices and herbs are boiled during the manufacturing process
The fact is that most of the products in the reprocessing process undergo a heating process. As explained by the Hamburg food biologist of the Municipal Institute for Hygiene and Environment, Dr. med. Anselm Lehmacher: „In the case of contamination with EHEC, this is critical only for foods that are not heated“. The affected cheese and spice products are heat-treated during production. In this process, the EHEC bacteria are usually killed. Thus, in the view of the scientist, there is no danger to humans when eating the named food. Just „Spices are usually treated very gently with water vapor under 100 degrees heat treatment“. Each manufacturer has a different method of preparation. But what unites them is the fact that the processing is done with great care. For spices contain essential oils whose color is to be preserved. Every procedure is about it, „to reduce the germ counts so much that one can practically speak of sterility“, so Lehmacher.

Seeds are only a small number from Egypt
Most „Fenugreek seeds are predominantly from China and India“ imported, explained Gerhard Weber of the trade association spice industry in Bonn. Seeds of this variety are only imported in a very small number from Egypt to Germany. In addition, fenugreek seeds are sold in unprocessed form only to a very small extent, stressed the spice specialist. Most of them are processed into curry spice mixtures. „Due to the form of processing it can be said that it is extremely unlikely that spice mixtures pose an EHEC hazard“, confirms Weber.

Also the institute „Romeis“ confirmed in a first opinion the safety of the products. There it was stressed that the commercial spices and herbal mixtures „ no substantial and epidemiologically relevant infection risks due to EHEC bacteria“ require. The cheeses and fenugreek seeds are harmless to the health of the consumer. Because the spice mixtures, which are contained in the cheese, are always heated. „Thus, there is no EHEC danger from the cheese“, emphasized a spokeswoman for the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin. For this reason „There is no new danger for humans in the case of the seeds“. Although there is a warning against the consumption of seeds. However, this is only valid if the sprouts have not been sufficiently heated. EHEC bacteria die from a minimum temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. For safety reasons, the goods should be cooked at 100 degrees for at least 5 minutes to ensure that the bacteria are killed.

Products should be boiled before consumption
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had reported that the most aggressive and dangerous EHEC germ was attached to fenugreek seeds. These originate from Egypt and were delivered to Germany to the already closed organic producer in Bienenbüttel. There, the sprouts were then exposed to contamination. As a result of the EHEC epidemic, at least 42 people have died and a few thousand have been infected. In some cases, the course of the disease has been dramatic. People are still getting stuck every day. However, the incidence of new diseases has fallen sharply. (Sb)

Also read:
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EHEC infections: first signs of slowing
WHO: New EHEC pathogen triggers infections
EHEC: DRK calls for blood donations
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Do not panic about EHEC germs
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Image: yak, Yak at de.wikipedia