Lawsuit Looms Against Germany Over Cucumber Scare

The scramble to identify a deadly food-borne illness can quickly ruin reputations. At least 10 nations have reported hundreds of cases of an infection by a deadly mutation of E. coli to the World Health Organization, raising fear, confusion and speculation about the source. Hamburg, Germany, initially blamed Spanish cucumbers, before conducting tests and backing away from the claims days later – but not before Spain destroyed tons of vegetables at the cost of more than €200 million, reports a Deutsche Welle article. Spain is a leading exporter of agricultural products, and the affected government now demands compensation for its farmers. The European squabble over the source of contamination has also spurred protectionist tendencies: Russia has banned imports of all fresh vegetables from the European Union and also slammed EU health standards. Health officials admit the exact source may never be pinpointed. – YaleGlobal