E-coli: Source of outbreak believed to have been found
An E.coli outbreak that has made more than 200 people sick has been traced to lettuce – so is it safe to eat?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) told Sky News it is “too early to determine” how the lettuce leaves may have become contaminated – but it is “confident” that is the source.
Three companies have recalled dozens of sandwiches and wraps sold at supermarkets as a precautionary measure.
So how can lettuce end up carrying E.coli – and does this mean a summer without salad?
How could it happen?
There are three main ways lettuce leaves could have been contaminated with E.coli, according to Professor Jim Monaghan, professor of crop science at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.
E.coli “essentially wants to be inside the guts of warm-blooded animals”, he says, but pathogenic strains can be found in between 10-15% of dairy herds – which means a minority of manure is contaminated with it.
That manure – and the E.coli it carries – can end up on lettuce leaves in cases of direct contamination.
In cases of indirect contamination, the bacteria may get into the soil or water and be transferred to the lettuce that way.
How do farmers prevent contamination?
If farmers use manure to fertilise a field, they have to wait at least a year before they can plant lettuce there.
They must also test the water they are using for irrigation to see if E.coli is present.
“For a lettuce grower, if you’re irrigating a crop with water, if you’re not comfortable drinking that water, then you wouldn’t be irrigating the crop,” Prof Monaghan tells Sky News.
That doesn’t mean they need to irrigate with chlorine-treated tap water, he adds, but it must meet an “acceptable standard”.
Salad growers will also risk assess their sites and avoid planting salad in any areas prone to flooding to avoid potential water contamination.
The FSA has not revealed whether the lettuce came from a UK-based farm or was imported from abroad.
The latest figures show 211 cases of E-coli have been confirmed as of 11 June – and at least 67 people have required hospital treatment.
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How does E.coli spread?
Should you be worried about eating lettuce?
Prof Monaghan says he hasn’t changed his lettuce-buying habits in response to the recent outbreak.
“I have a bag of spinach and two whole head lettuces in my fridge at the moment. So knowing what I know about how UK growers manage their risks, to me that’s fine,” he says.
“But clearly something’s gone wrong.”
However, he notes a couple of things – beyond the usual rules growers must follow – that have reassured him about buying salad.
“One is it would appear that the product that’s caused a problem has left the supply chain,” he says.
The second is that everyone involved in salad production – from growers to salad and sandwich manufacturers – will be “sampling like crazy”.
Does washing salad leaves get rid of E.coli?
Once it reaches the factory, lettuce will be rinsed to remove surface contamination. Then chlorine is used to reduce the level of bacteria before it is rinsed again.
That is “effective to a certain extent”, Prof Monaghan says, but it does not eliminate bacteria entirely.
The same goes for washing lettuce at home – it will reduce the amount of bacteria, but not get rid of it.
Read more:
What are the symptoms of E.coli infection?
Full list of products recalled by sandwich suppliers
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How does the weather have an impact?
The recent wet weather could have created conditions where E.coli can more easily survive.
On a hot, sunny day, leaves will dry off quickly, reducing the chance of water contamination.
They will also be irradiated by UV rays, killing bacteria.
But on wet, overcast days, there is not the same opportunity for bacteria to be killed off, Prof Monaghan says.
We have had a damp start to the summer – and similar weather has been seen in Spain, Italy and France – all countries that import lettuce to the UK.
Why is it so difficult to trace the root cause?
Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the FSA, said identifying the source of the E.coli was a “complex and ongoing investigation”.
Part of the reason it’s so difficult to trace is because the contaminated products are a very small proportion of the sandwiches on supermarket shelves, Prof Monaghan says.
Then there’s the fact the products in question have a shelf life of days.
“Two days after a sandwich is made, you won’t find that sandwich again,” Prof Monaghan says.
“It’s either been eaten or it’s been taken off the shelf.”
The FSA has been investigating the issue along with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Food Standards Scotland and devolved public health agencies, businesses and local authorities.
Through epidemiological investigations and whole genome sequence analysis, they narrowed down the common foods consumed by people who had fallen ill to a small number of salad leaf products used in sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls.
Dozens of products were recalled; while no E.coli had been found in them, it was a “precautionary measure” in case they were contaminated.
The fact E.coli was not found in the products indicates it has left the supply chain. “There’s no smoking gun,” Prof Monaghan says.
UK
‘It’s just nasty’: Birmingham residents ‘overwhelmed’ by foul stench and massive rats as bins strike rumbles on
In parts of Birmingham, the stench is overwhelming – enough to make you heave.
At a block of flats in Highgate, in Birmingham city centre, we find a mountain of bin liners full of rubbish spewing out of the cavernous bin store, which is normally locked.
Mickel comes out to speak to us, while all around bin liners lie open, with the contents for all to see, including used nappies and rotting food.
Mickel says they’ve had ‘foxes and rats, literally the size of cats’
Outside Mickel’s flat in Highgate, bin liners lie open, spewing out rubbish
We both find it hard to keep talking amid the awful smell.
“We’ve had foxes and rats, literally the size of cats, flies, it’s just nasty, something needs to be done,” he says.
Chris says the situation is ‘overwhelming’ as she’s ‘terrified of rats’
Around the corner, I meet Chris, in her dressing gown, popping the bins into her bin store beneath her flat before work.
She unlocks it, and although it isn’t bursting out on to the street yet, it is getting full.
She says the situation is “overwhelming” as she’s “terrified of rats”. But, even so, she has sympathy for the striking bin workers.
“It’s not an easy job; they must have a heart of gold to do that job,” she says.
“Pay them whatever they need, they deserve it.”
Striking bin workers at Lifford Lane tip, south of the city centre
There’s an awful smell coming from a mountain of bin liners outside Mickel’s flat in Highgate
At Lifford Lane tip, south of the city centre, Brigette has pulled up alongside picketing workers. The back seat of her car is full of rubbish.
She apologises for the terrible waft, mixed with air freshener.
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“It’s very pungent, isn’t it? Not nice,” she admits.
“It’s unfortunate, I have some sympathies for all the parties, but, equally, we have a duty of care to stay clean and tidy.”
She says she has her rubbish and that of her elderly aunt and plans to make weekly trips to the tip until a resolution in this pay dispute between the council and the Unite union is found.
UK
‘US is our closest ally’, Jonathan Reynolds says in reaction to Trump tariffs – but ‘nothing off the table’
The US is “our closest ally” but “nothing is off the table” in response to Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs on imports from the UK, the business secretary has said.
In a statement following the US president’s nearly hour-long address to the world, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “We will always act in the best interests of UK businesses and consumers.
“That’s why, throughout the last few weeks, the government has been fully focused on negotiating an economic deal with the United States that strengthens our existing fair and balanced trading relationship.”
Follow the latest following Trump’s tariffs announcement
Mr Reynolds reiterated the statements from the prime minister and his cabinet over the past few days, saying the US is “our closest ally”, and the government’s approach is to “remain calm and committed to doing this deal, which we hope will mitigate the impact of what has been announced today”.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says “nothing is off the table” following the tariffs announcement. Pic: PA
But he continued: “We have a range of tools at our disposal, and we will not hesitate to act. We will continue to engage with UK businesses, including on their assessment of the impact of any further steps we take.
“Nobody wants a trade war, and our intention remains to secure a deal. But nothing is off the table, and the government will do everything necessary to defend the UK’s national interest.”
‘Get back round the negotiating table’, say Tories
The Conservative Party’s shadow business and trade secretary described the US president’s announcement as “disappointing news which will worry working families across the country”.
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Sky’s Ed Conway examines how economies across the world are impacted by tariffs
Andrew Griffith hit out at the government for having “failed to negotiate with President Trump’s team for too many months after the election, failed to keep our experienced top trade negotiator, and failed to get a deal to avoid the imposition of these tariffs by our closest trading partner”.
“The chancellor’s emergency budget of just a week ago with its inadequate headroom is now at risk, casting uncertainty about more taxes or spending cuts,” he continued. “Sadly, it is British businesses and workers who will pay the price for Labour’s failure.”
He called on ministers to “swallow their pride” and “get back round the negotiating table to agree a fair deal to protect jobs and consumers in both the UK and the US alike”.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has reacted furiously to Mr Trump’s announcement of a “destructive trade war”, and called on the government to stand up against “Trump’s attempts to divide and rule”.
“The prime minister should bring our Commonwealth and European partners together in a coalition of the willing against Trump’s tariffs, using retaliatory tariffs where necessary and signing new trade deals with each other where possible.”
Speaking on Wednesday evening at a White House event entitled ‘Make America Wealthy Again’, the US president unleashed sweeping tariffs across the globe.
Mr Trump held up a chart detailing the worst offenders – which also showed the new tariffs the US would be imposing.
The UK’s rate of 10% was perhaps a shot across the bow over the 20% VAT rate, though the president’s suggested a 10% tariff imbalance between the two nations. Nonetheless, tariffs of 10% could directly reduce UK GDP by between 0.01% and 0.06%, according to Capital Economics.
A 25% duty on all car imports from around the world is also being imposed from midnight in the US – 5am on Thursday, UK time.
Read more:
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Tariffs will have consequences for globalisation, the US economy and geopolitics
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The UK government had been hoping to negotiate an economic deal with the US in a bid to avoid the tariffs, but to no avail. The government says negotiations will continue.
The Confederation of British Industry said “negotiating stronger trading relationships with all like-minded partners will be foundational to any success”.
The business secretary is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons on Thursday, and we are also expecting to hear from the prime minister.
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