Why don't they tell us the E-coli source so we can avoid it?

[INeedNewShoes]

We're being warned about this current strain of E-coli. It sounds as though they've learned enough about the source to have an idea what it is. Why not tell the public so we can reduce our chance of getting it?

Of particular concern for the elderly, young children and anyone immunocompromised.

That's a good one

They don't know. When they report they have an 'idea of where it's coming from' they mean they have identified it's a food product that's widely sold across the UK rather than say contaminated tap water, contact with river water etc. they haven't identified a product yet
If you are especially concerned the most common culprits are meat especially processed meat, bagged salads & beansprouts so avoid those.
Separate to this outbreak but also common causes are paddling/swimming in rivers etc.

They can probably tell it's a nationally distributed food product only because

• these people are distributed all over the country
• they haven't all been to the same dodgy restaurant
• they haven't all been drinking from the same water supply
• there's no geographic connection between them

Perhaps there's a link that is as yet undisclosed, like most of them mainly shopping in the same supermarket chain.

Ahh stir fry’s mixes could be a hot food right now then. All prepared mixed foods, bean sprouts chance of undercooking the meat…

I read that the majority of people who have caught it are young adults. It’s festival season so perhaps that’s not helping the spread.

Regarding the lettuce... I worked in a supermarket cafe years ago, and we used to have to dip fresh fruit and veg in a bleach-smelling solution before using it.

We were warned if we didn't do it we'd be held personally responsible for anyone who got food poisoning from it.

Probably egg

I think since Brexit there has been a lot of deregulation in food processing and production.

DS 22 has been really poorly this week with severe d&v
I thought he was being dramatic when he said he thought he was dying!
I'd have called the GP/111 for advice but only heard about the outbreak on the news this afternoon and didn't want to bother them with 'just d&v'
I wonder how many others have been ill on top of the 119 they know about!

I haven't had a bean sprout for years, are they making a come back amongst the tiktok generation 😀

Not this strain. E.Coli 0145 is very similar to E.Coli 0157 in that it is has bovine-soil-human life cycle and source. So Definitely not eggs.

Also, with regards to undercooked food. It is doubtful to be because of this. Most strains of E.Coli are killed off at relatively low cook temperatures. Some as low as 50 Celsius! (Although it’s important to note, that some strains of E.Coli are heat resistant and it’s recommended that all foods are cooked to 75). It would also have to be a huge coincidence for everyone affected to undercook so badly all at the same time relatively.
E.Coli is predominantly caused by cross-contamination from raw bovine products (outer muscle and meat as E.Coli isn’t found inside the meat -hence rare steaks are ok.)
Or cross contamination from soil.

Anyone worried about relatives with D&V. This strain of E.Coli isn’t usually associated with vomiting. The symptoms are stomach cramps, fever and diarrhoea (sometimes bloody due to the impact on the kidneys).

Anyone who is concerned though should pick up a stool sample pack from their local GP surgery or local authority Environmental Health Department.

Bristol Post said minced beef

I was thinking along the lines of healthy and fast to cook and not a stodgy meal like a casserole that older folk like 😅

I hadn’t had one for ages but had one two days ago.

It could also just be people handling this food and not washing their hands before and after preparing.

That's an article talking about an outbreak last year.

I hope it's not Gousto

@MummyJ12

i am suffering with dreadful brain fog, so could you please help me out?

Does that mean it's likely or unlikely to be bagged salads or dairy?

I eat cheese, salad & fage yogurt and not much else due to a dietary requirement.

I've only just heard about this break out & am concerned. Due to other health issues D&V would be beyond catastrophic.

I mean in the us it’s walnuts currently.

Quite interesting scrolling though all their open and closed cases of food issues.

cake mix, Spinach, mix salad, cheese, lettuce and leafy greens are the us tracked cases for ecoli where they found the problem since 2020

In sure in a tv show about American food safety one of the lettuce type ones was because of run off from the cattle farm leaching into the water or something.

@JugglingJanuary Dairy is usually pasteurised so anything pasteurised will be absolutely fine. These products are always processed in sole purpose sites for nationwide distribution. So branded dairy, you will be absolutely fine with. Salads do need washing thoroughly, to ensure all soil is rinsed off. I doubt this outbreak has been caused by raw salad products and people not washing their salad leaves properly.

The last big outbreak of this strain was in Argentina I believe.

Well customs inspection of imported produce is now a shitshow apparently, so the source could be anything....

I know someone who got E-coli from hummus in an outbreak several years ago.

There are hundreds of strains of E.Coli, they are all different but in the same ‘family’.

@OhmygodDont

I'll gladly avoid them 🤣🤣

My DD (18) had this a couple of weeks ago and went yo hosp due to blood in stools. She thinks it came from an avacado.......