WHO says E. coli strain responsible for European outbreak is new strain never detected before

[Jan Klimkowski]

Jan, your speculation of GM something could be possible, but is not likely the source.

Peter - with respect, my speculation is not that GM foodstuffs are the source of this outbreak. My speculation refers back to Magda's post #6 earlier in this thread.

In German television there is hardly another news item now for weeks, but there is also growing frustration that the source of the infection has not been clearly identified yet.

But there are indications. First the spanish cucumbers: the poison from EHEC bacteria has been found on three cucumbers, two of which have been traced to two different spanish producers, the third has initially been reported to be from Holland. Meanwhile laboratory tests have identified the bacteria to be not the variant causing the current outbreak, especially the kidney complications.
Then the sprouts: All of the major outbreaks were from Restaurants or kitchens being supplied by the identified producer of sprouts. In one case a broken package of the sprouts has been found in the fridge of a victim. I heard the interview with a survivor, who clearly identified a specific restaurant and a specific meal containing sprouts as the source of her infection. The restaurant was involved in several other infection cases as well.
It is not clear how the bacteria came to the sprouts, it may even be that the seeds that are imported from Asia have been infected and that the infected batch has already been completely processed and sold and eaten.

Carsten - with respect, none of that is anywhere near sufficient evidence to declare an entire country's cucumbers suspect nor point the finger at a specific farm.

All those evidential trails are equally, if not more, consistent with the infection having occurred after the vegetables have left the farms, at a later stage in the food chain.

Indeed, that evidence strongly suggests poor hygiene in the restaurant, and that bacteria may be festering there.

And seriously, I do not see any indication for a delibrate operation in this case, nor any plausible motivation. And I continue to eat normally.

See Magda's post #6.

Think the Strategy of Tension.

Note that Russia has closed its borders to European vegetables.

None of this is proof. However, I am certainly not ruling out deliberate foul play.