The risky business of food

LOVERS of organic beansprouts may have to grow their own after a crop in Hamburg, Germany has been blamed as the source of the deadly outbreak of E coli 0104:H4 that has killed at least 36 and sickened more than 3,250.

Even home growers may be unsafe. German authorities have warned that bean-sprout seeds used for growing at home may be risky.

Other high-risk food items could also become rare due to this latest food scare. After all, the authorities found that the operation of the organic beansprouts farm at Hamburg was flawlessly hygienic and followed all the regulations.