IS EGYPT THE SOURCE OF THE RECALLED CELERY SEEDS?

I have been suspecting that the recalled celery seed (see previous 3 posts) is imported. But I guessed India. Now I have changed my mind. I think it all the recalled seeds had a common origin in Egypt.

Here's why: the latest recall is by Starwest Botanicals. Read the label:

If you check the company's website, you will also find that their celery seed in jars states that the source is Egypt (I didn't find a listing for the pouches). They are not likely to import this item from two different countries.

By the way, do you recall that this year's huge and deadly E.coli 0104:H4 outbreak was eventually - after many false turns - traced to fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt? Yes, Egypt is the source of a lot of imported herbs and spices all over the world, and clearly not all of them are sanitary.

To your good health,

TSF

WHERE ARE THE REST OF THE DEADLY SPROUT SEEDS?

And it still isn't over - by far. The investigation of the deadly sprout-linked E.coli outbreak in Europe continues. Now there is a frantic search for tons of missing deadly sprout seeds. They have to be found before they cause more illnesses and deaths.

It turns out that there were some 16 tons of fenugreek seed in that single shipment from Egypt (how many seeds is that?). No one realized at first how widely they had been distributed. A search of the German importer's records has now shown that they went to dozens of companies in some 12 European nations. The European Food Safety Authority is having a bureaucratic fit. And with reason.

The seeds shipment dates back to December, 2009. Some of the seed has most likely already been used, but some of it is probably still in company supply chains all over Europe, who knows exactly where. It has been sold and re-sold, packaged under a variety of labels, and is very difficult to trace. To say the least.

And we need to find all this seed in case more of it is carrying this super-toxic E.coli 0104. That isn't necessarily the case, as no doubt this huge shipment came from several seed growers. Most of the seed might be quite safe. But the trouble is that we don't know.

At least 4,100 illnesses in Germany, 49 deaths, and some 16 related illnesses in France. Enough!

To your good health,
TSF

ARE SPROUT SEEDS FROM EGYPT CAUSE OF OUTBREAKS?

It has just been reported that the German and French deadly E.coli outbreaks of this year may have both originated in sprout seeds imported from Egypt. European investigators have cautiously fingered contaminated fenugreek seeds. Apparently these were imported by a single German importer, which then distributed them to other companies, which then sold them to the two farms involved. At least one of these farms has reportedly had to close (the one near Hamburg, Germany) as a result.

The leaders in the investigation have included experts from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in Sweden and from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Italy. They have issued a joint statement saying: "The tracing back is progressing and has thus far shown that fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt either in 2009 and/or 2010 are implicated in both outbreaks." I am sure that the previously accused British seeds distributor (see earlier post) has issued a corporate sigh of relief.

But is it unusual for imported seeds to cause outbreaks? No, not at all. Contaminated seeds are the usual cause of contaminated sprouts (see previous 2 posts) and imported seeds have caused a number of sprout-linked outbreaks in several countries over the years. Alfalfa seeds imported from Australia have caused outbreaks in sprouts in the UK, Finland and Sweden. Sprout seeds from The Netherlands have been identified as the cause of outbreaks in the U.S. There are many more cases.

Let's see what more pops up in the next few days.

To your good health.
TSF