A SWIFT resolution of Germany’s E.coli epidemic remained elusive yesterday as two dozen tests on suspect bean sprouts failed to identify traces of the virulent bacteria.
A month into the epidemic that has so far claimed 22 lives, criticism is growing at the German response, in particular the overlapping competences of state and federal and authorities.
A week after a false alarm on Spanish cucumbers, German authorities had urged caution on Sunday when announcing that the E.coli epidemic could be traced to a bean sprout producer near Hamburg.
That caution appeared well placed yesterday evening with 23 of 40 samples testing negative for the virulent bacteria – with further tests ongoing.
“Several weeks have passed since the start of the outbreak, making the search for its cause very difficult,” said the Lower Saxon health ministry in a statement.
Klaus Verbeck, owner of the suspected sprout farm 40km south of Hamburg, said he was puzzled by the investigation.
"The salad sprouts are grown only from seeds and water, and they aren't fertilised at all," he told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitungdaily. "There aren't any animal fertilisers used in other areas on the farm either."
The E.coli bacteria at the centre of the epidemic is likely to have entered the food chain through faecal contamination from cattle or sheep.
In the human digestive system the E.coli bacteria strain behind this epidemic generates toxins that cause haemolytic uraemic syndrome, which can attack the nervous system and cause potentially fatal kidney failure.
Sprouts, a popular and nutritious ingredient in salads, are seeds industrially germinated in containers of warm water, seen as ideal conditions for contaminating bacteria to multiply.
Investigators had hoped the bean sprout farm was the missing link to the Kartoffelkeller, a popular restaurant in the northern city of Lübeck, where 17 patients are known to have dined.
After negative sprout tests, probes from the restaurant’s kitchen and staff have also turned up no contamination, suggesting the trail had gone cold.
As the investigation drags on, criticism is growing about the official co-ordination of the crisis response, in particular the lack of a central hotline.
Health affairs in Germany are regulated at state level by 16 different ministries and food safety agencies. Also involved in this investigation are federal agencies, including the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.
“Nobody feels responsible,” thundered the Tagesspiegel daily yesterday over a report about a Berlin couple who ate at the Lübeck Kartoffelkeller last month.
One is now in an artificial coma in hospital, battling an infection, while her partner is afraid she might have the infection too.
On her behalf, the newspaper called the RKI: “There’s no one here,” a porter answered, “try again on Monday.”
German consumer groups have called for better co-ordination of information to the public.
“It’s rather unfortunate when individual state agriculture ministers rush forward with their own results,” said Stefan Etgeton, health spokesman for the German Consumer Association.
“I would have preferred that the information come from the Robert Koch Institute.”
German farmers estimate the loss so far to growers at over €50 million.EU agriculture ministers are to hold a special meeting in Luxembourg this morning to discuss the ongoing epidemic and possible compensation for vegetable growers hit by the continued crisis. The European Commission has offered to send its own experts to support local efforts.