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Consumers' Foundation takes government to task

The Consumers' Foundation yesterday criticizes the government's reaction to the discovery of E. coli bacteria in spinach imported from the US. PHOTO: TIEN JUI-HUA, TAIPEI TIMES

Following an outbreak of E. coli bacteria in the US that killed two and sickened more than 100 others, a local consumer advocacy group called yesterday for the US spinach supply chain to be disinfected and for personnel involved to be quarantined to ensure that the lethal bacteria does not enter the nation.

The Department of Health, meanwhile, has ordered recalls of spinach sourced from US manufacturer Natural Selection Foods from supermarkets and department stores nationwide.

Although no local cases of E. coli infection have been reported, the Consumers' Foundation criticised the government for merely recalling product and failing to map out a comprehensive plan.

"The bacterium, known as O157, is highly contagious. Do you think that, despite being transported over long distances, only the spinach itself is infected?" foundation chairman Jason Lee (李鳳翱) said during a press conference yesterday.

The US has tracked 34 other leafy products to see whether they have been contaminated during transportation, distribution and packaging, he said, adding that the government must not ignore the possibility of cross infection.

Eating food contaminated by the bacterium may lead to dehydration, bloody diarrhea, kidney failure or even death.

As E. coli bacteria has been legally designated as a second-class infection, the health department should have followed relevant quarantine, sterilization, inspection, hygiene management and investigation regulations, said You Kai-hsiung (游開雄), the foundation's deputy secretary-general.

In response to the foundation's criticism, the health department said it had gained full disclosure pertaining to the imports and demanded hygiene management in relevant locations.

"Things are not as serious as they [the US] thought and the bacteria have weak lethality," said Hsiao Tung-ming (蕭東銘), director of the department's food safety bureau, during a phone interview.

The bureau has demanded that retailers and importers disinfect store shelves, trucks and any other steps in the supply chain with bleach, which effectively destroys the bacteria, he said.

The Center for Disease Control is monitoring the situation and the bureau will release the results of a test of imported spinach next Tuesday, Hsiao added.
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