Brussels, 09/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Scientific uncertainty still surrounds the new, virulent strain of E.coli and the source of the poisoning of the food chain in Germany has not yet been discovered. Twenty-five people had been killed by the poisoning in Europe as at Thursday 9 June. As instructed by EU Health Commissioner John Dalli on Tuesday 7 June, no official statements are being made until there is scientific proof of the cause of the contamination, and the Commission itself has therefore stopped making statements (see EUROPE 10393). Close cooperation and pooling of knowledge to stem the outbreak as soon as possible are the EU's aims, as John Dalli told the German authorities on Wednesday 8 June.
On Thursday, as disease experts sent by the EU were still at work in Germany to help the German government in its investigations, John Dalli was in Rome to visit EU laboratories while awaiting the results of the tests in Germany, explained Frederic Vincent, a spokesperson for the commissioner, to this newsletter.
In the climate of uncertainty and consumer fear, the only information for people to get their teeth into is advice issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in its fast-track assessment of consumer exposure to E.coli from eating or handling raw vegetables from the farm to the plate on avoiding risk of poisoning. Due to lack of information at present, EFSA scientists, however, have not been able to measure the average danger to human beings from such infections. EFSA stresses the importance of existing recommendations about good farm practice, hygiene and food processing (as set out in internationally recognised guidelines). (A.N./transl.fl)