E.COLI UPDATE - IMPORT BAN FROM EGYPT EXTENDED

In July, following the German and French E.Coli 0104:H4 outbreaks, the Food Standards Agency issued temporary advice while it investigated the safety of sprouted seeds. The temporary advice was that sprouted seeds should only be eaten if they have been cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout and that they should not be eaten raw.

This temporary advice has now changed. Consumers are advised to follow the on-pack instructions. Sprouted seeds can be eaten raw if they are labelled ‘ready-to-eat' or 'ready-to-wash’. All other sprouted seeds, if not labelled as such, should be cooked thoroughly until steaming hot.

Caterers are also advised that they should source their supplies of sprouted seeds from producers that have recognised food safety and quality control systems in place.

In addition, The European Commission has amended the list of certain seeds, sprouted seeds, and beans prohibited from import to the European Union from Egypt. The ban was set to expire on 31 October 2011. However, the European Commission has extended the ban until 31 March 2012, due to the inefficiency of the procedures taken by Egyptian authorities to ensure the integrity of grain and plant exports.

The ban will remain on items including rocket sprouts, sprouts of leguminous vegetables (fresh or chilled), soya bean sprouts, dried (shelled) leguminous vegetables, fenugreek seeds, soya beans and mustard seeds.

Imports of fresh and chilled peas and beans will be allowed, as the EU ban on these items was lifted in October.

Seeds and beans from Egypt that are prohibited from being circulated freely in the EU until 31 March 2012 are:
• rocket sprouts
• beetroot sprouts, radish sprouts
• sprouts of leguminous vegetables, fresh or chilled
• soya bean sprouts
• dried leguminous vegetables, shelled, whether or not skinned or split
• fenugreek seed
• soya beans, whether or not broken
• mustard seeds
• other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, whether or not broken
• sugar beet seed
• lucerne (alfalfa) seed
• vegetable seeds
• lucerne (alfalfa) sprouts

In July, the European Commission announced an emergency ban on the import of fenugreek and certain seeds, sprouted seeds and beans imported from Egypt until 31 October 2011, following the two outbreaks of E.coli O104 in Germany and France. (Source FSA 1st November 2011)