EHEC all-clear for vegetables

EHEC: All-clear for vegetables

14/06/2011

Finally, the EHEC warning of cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce was lifted. The dealer demand for healthy vegetables is increasingly recovering. While some continue to eyeball the vegetables critically, more and more people are grabbing food. Klaus Dahmke from the Schleswig-Holstein Farmers Association was relieved: „Vegetables are finally in demand again“. Demand has recovered slightly since the weekend.

After the indications that sprouts are responsible for the spread of the dangerous EHEC bacterium, the official warning about vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce has been lifted. According to the German Farmers Association (DBV) is after the all clear a slight relaxation on the fruit and vegetable market recorded. Since the warning was lifted on Whitsun weekend, the market could not be boosted. But still: Many consumers agree with the healthy vegetables. For many German families there was finally again the long-awaited cucumber salad.

Farmers demand compensation for broken paragraph
The farmers' association demanded now from the federal government to implement a fast and unbureaucratic help for the injured farmers. After all, be the companies „without fault in the biggest catastrophic catastrophe since Chernobyl“ devices. Overall, according to the association, sales fell by 50 percent. The sale of cucumbers, tomatoes and salads had been stopped almost completely for a good 14 days. Neither retailers nor consumers consumed the vegetables, even if extensive samples excluded the EHEC pathogen.

According to the farmers' representatives, the compensation payments negotiated in Brussels were far too low. The association spokesman called for a significant increase in aid from the EU and the federal government. If the payments were too small, this could quickly put an end to many growers. Only if sufficient funds are made available could vegetable producers continue to compete in the market. Especially smaller and medium-sized companies suffered heavily under the EHEC warning. Therefore, the black-yellow coalition must take action to strengthen the vegetable market.

The farmers 'association emphasized that it was essential to win back citizens' trust. For this reason, around 2000 individual samples were taken to prove that the harvested vegetables are not contaminated with EHEC. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, 35 people have died as a result of the infectious disease. For several days, the rate of new infections is falling. Nevertheless, people should pay attention to special hygiene measures such as intensive hand washing and adequate cleaning of kitchen utensils, as emphasized by the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin. (Sb)

Also read:
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EHEC: DRK calls for blood donations
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Quick test detects EHEC symptoms
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Doctors are testing new therapy for EHEC infection
Vegetable recipes

Image: BettinaF