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Date Published: 10/09/2021
ARCHIVED - Spanish lettuce producers on alert after E. coli discovered in Finland
Some 68 per cent of the lettuce exported from Spain is produced in the Region of Murcia
Over the past few months, the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare has been notified of seven separate outbreaks of E. coli bacteria throughout the country, and two subsequent deaths have already been reported.
While the investigation into the origin of the bacteria is ongoing, the Finnish Rapid Alert System has indicated that the most likely source of the E. coli is imported lettuce products which the victims consumed.
This is bad news for Spanish vegetable producers, and in particular those based in the Region of Murcia, as the Peninsula currently exports around 760,000 tons of lettuce each year. Of this, 510,000 tons originates in Murcia, approximately 68% of the total, with Finland purchasing some 14,000 tons of the Spanish-grown product annually.
E. coli, or Escherichia coli, is a bacterium normally found in the lower intestine of healthy people and animals and the vast majority of strains are harmless, while some can actually be of benefit to the body. However, there are strains that can lead to severe food poisoning in humans; with fresh produce, the contamination is usually caused by run-off waste from cattle farms and lettuce is particularly susceptible.
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