Inadequately Tracing Ecoli in the UK

The UK's Food Standards Agency FSA has widened the investigation into the outbreak of E. coli food poisoning illness in Wales as parents start calling for a public inquiry, arguing that more could have been done..

 

The number of cases - currently standing at 115 - could increase, say the experts, and Ecoli can be a killer. The majority of the current cases are among schoolchildren from 32 schools across four health authority areas.

 

FSA Wales is advising any food businesses that have received cooked meat from John Tudor and Son to withdraw it from sale immediately and to contact their local authority, although there has been no conclusive evidence that Tudor's was the source of the infection.

 

Nonetheless, the agency has now asked all local authorities in the country of Wales in the UK to contact any small to medium-sized caterers, local shops, delicatessens and pubs, to make sure they have not bought any cooked meat from Bridgend supplier John Tudor. The company said that it was co-operating fully with investigators.

 

However, for parents of children affected by the outbreak, this is not good enough. Four children with acute kidney problems are currently being treated in hospitals in Liverpool and Bristol in England and 25 people - mostly children - have been admitted to hospital in the past week.

Food & Livestock Traceability 2006 conference will be held on February 1-2 2006 in Dallas, USA. This hot topic is driven by health scares, bioterrorism and new laws. It will become the largest RFID application but we cover DNA and many other vital technologies as well. For further details please visit {www.trackingfood.com}

 

You can also read the new IDTechEx reports: