The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today states that the German authorities are continuing their investigation into the ongoing outbreak of Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC).  To date, no food source has been identified by the German authorities as the definitive source of the outbreak.  Reports from Germany have found VTEC on Spanish cucumbers, but a direct link to the outbreak strain has not been confirmed to date.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is liaising with the European Commission and based on information to date, none of the implicated cucumbers have been distributed to the Irish market.  The FSAI is aware that SuperValu, Dunnes Stores and Lidl withdrew some Spanish organic cucumbers from sale last week, however this was on trade grounds only and not as a food safety measure. The FSAI can confirm that these cucumbers were not from the two suppliers in Spain that were named by the German authorities. 

    “We have no information from the European Commission to indicate that that any organic cucumbers from the implicated suppliers in Spain were distributed to Ireland.  The action taken by some retailers was not requested by the FSAI, but was undertaken by the retailers themselves.  It is important to note that there have been no reported cases of human illness in Ireland associated with the German outbreak strain of E. coli.  Consumers do not need to be concerned,” said Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI. 

The FSAI is continuing to liaise with the European Commission and the German authorities and will provide updates as and when necessary.

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