First of all, you need to understand the origin for E. Coli: in the gut and lower intestine of warm-blooded mammals. From the CDC: â¢As of July 5, 2011, Germanyâs Robert Koch Institute (RKI)* reports 852 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)âa type of kidney failure that is associated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or STEC, infectionsâand 32 deaths associated with HUS. â¢In the United States, six confirmed cases of STEC O104:H4 infections have been identified. Among these six cases, one death has been reported in an Arizona resident who traveled to Germany before becoming ill. â¢On June 10, 2011, RKI announced that contaminated raw sprouts from one farm in Germany are the likely source of the outbreak. This farm has been closed and the sprouts produced there are no longer in restaurants or store shelves in Germany. Over the past few weeks, the number of cases associated with this outbreak has markedly decreased. â¢On June 24, 2011, France identified a cluster of E. coli O104:H4 infections among attendees of an event in Bordeaux, France; attendees reported consuming sprouts produced locally in Bordeaux. â¢On July 5, 2011, the European Food Safety Authority issued a report identifying a single lot of fenugreek seeds, from an exporter in Egypt, as the most likely source of the sprouts linked with E. coli O104:H4 outbreaks in Germany and France. From NPR: May 30, 2011 The death toll from a bacterial outbreak caused by contaminated vegetables rose to at least 11 in Germany on Monday as inspectors in several European nations rushed to check produce. German scientists suspect the bacterium that has sickened hundreds of Europeans came from Spanish organic produce. The Health Ministry in Hamburg said three out of four cucumbers carrying the bacterial strain were from a Spanish shipment. But there have been no reported cases in Spain, and the European Disease Center cautioned that the definite source of the enterohaemorrhagic E.coli, also known as EHEC, is not yet known. Spain's Secretary of State for European Affairs, Diego Lopez Garrido, said Madrid might take action against those pointing fingers at his southern European nation. "You can't attribute the origin of this sickness to Spain," Lopez Garrido told reporters in Brussels. "There is no proof and that's why we are going to demand accountability from those who have blamed Spain for this matter." Germany has been hit hardest by the outbreak, but some E.coli cases have also been reported in Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In Poland, officials said Monday that a woman has been hospitalized in serious condition after returning from a trip to the northern German city of Hamburg, where at least 467 cases of intestinal infection have been recorded. The E.coli infections have come from eating raw cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. Germany's consumer health minister said a warning against eating raw vegetables remains in effect. "We have found the so-called EHEC pathogens on cucumbers, but that does not mean that they are responsible for the whole outbreak," Andreas Hensel, president of Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, said on ZDF television. Spanish vegetables that came via Germany were being pulled from shelves in Austria and the Czech Republic. Austrian authorities sent inspectors to 33 organic supermarkets Monday to make sure Spanish vegetables suspected of contamination have been taken off shelves. The move came after a recall and sales ban of cucumbers, tomatoes and eggplants that originated in Spain and were delivered to stores in Austria by German companies. "If anything is found to be left over, it will be tested and taken off the market," Austrian Health Ministry spokesman Fabian Fusseis said. While two German tourists have tested positive for enterohaemorrhagic E.coli, no so-called homegrown cases have been reported, he added. In Italy, meanwhile, the country's paramilitary Carabinieri tainted food squad has been on the lookout since Saturday for any contaminated cucumbers, checking imports from Spain, the Netherlands and other European countries. So far, lab analyses have come back negative, and no cases of food poisoning have been reported. Russia's state sanitary agency said Monday that it has banned imports of some fresh vegetables from Spain and Germany European Union spokesman Frederic Vincent said Sunday that two greenhouses in Spain that have been identified as possible sources of the contaminated cucumbers had ceased activities. The water and soil there are being analyzed to see whether they were the problem, and the results are expected Tuesday or Wednesday, said Vincent. The EU's agriculture minister was expected to discuss the issue Monday at a meeting in Hungary. NPR's Eric Westervelt reported from Berlin for this story, which contains material from The Associated Press. By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, August 8, 5:42 PM Health officials say one person has died and at least nine others were made sick from an E. coli outbreak traced to fresh strawberries picked at a farm in northwestern Oregon. The Oregon Public Health Authority identified the source of the outbreak Monday as the Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newburg, about 25 miles southwest of Portland. Like E. Coli? Enjoy Organic Food By Hank Campbell | June 1st 2011 02:36 PM | Science 2.0 While Europeans trade blame about the E. coli contamination that has killed 14 people and made hundreds sick, one factoid is left out of most news stories - you're far more likely to get E. coli from food in organic supermarkets, where European governments are now sending inspectors to try and contain the risk. Is Irradiation The Future Of E. Coli Prevention? By LAURAN NEERGAARD 06/ 6/11 03:53 PM ET WASHINGTON -- Zapping salad fixings with just a bit of radiation can kill dangerous E. coli and other bacteria â and food safety experts say Europe's massive outbreak shows wary consumers should give the long-approved step a chance. The U.S. government has OK'd irradiation for a variety of foods â meat, spices, certain imported fruits, the seeds used to grow sprouts. Even iceberg lettuce or spinach can be irradiated without the leaves going limp. And no, it doesn't make the food radioactive. But sterilized leafy greens aren't on the market, and overall sales of irradiated foods remain low. A disappointed Grocery Manufacturers Association says one reason is that sellers worry about consumer mistrust. "We need to do whatever we can to give us a wider margin of safety," says Dr. Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious disease specialist who frequently advises the government. "Food irradiation for a number of produce items would give us not just a marginal increase, but give us probably the Grand Canyon increase of safety." The source of the E. coli strain in Europe hasn't been pinpointed. Health authorities have warned consumers there not to eat any type of sprout, the newest suspect, but also say to avoid tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce until the mystery is solved. The U.S. has faced its own spate of tainted produce in recent years, with E. coli, salmonella, listeria and other bugs linked to lettuce, spinach, hot peppers, sprouts, cantaloupes and more.
Of course, Go in with full riot gear and guns blazing. Tank back-ups. Someone might eventually get sick eating this stuff. Better a bullet to the brain any day than sell a questionable lump of goat cheese. And why just the handcuffs? Why not a few rabbit punches just to get the point across. Better yet throw them to the ground, kick them in the ribs, and beat them to an inch of their lives. Then, and only them, hand cuff them and drag them to the jail they so richly deserve!