Colombia’s vice president of society and agriculture has said there is no risk to Colombians from E. coli-contaminated European cucumbers even though cucumbers from that continent are sold in Colombian super-markets.
According to Vice President of Society and Agriculture Alejandro Velez, all produce entering Colombia receive sanitary checks that would stop the E. coli-contaminated cucumbers from entering the country.
Velez explained that “unless it is contraband,” the contaminated produce would not have passed the normal sanitary requirements like inspection and verification, especially as it requires a “phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country.”
Caracol Radio found that major supermarket chains in Colombia are currently stocking a variety of European cucumbers.
The E. coli outbreak has reportedly been the cause of 15 deaths in Germany and less serious cases have also been reported in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Belgium and France.