All Imported Veggies Being Monitored: SFDA
Added On : 8th June 2011
RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) announced Tuesday that although the risks from E. coli are minimal in the Kingdom, the organization is monitoring all vegetables that are imported into the Kingdom for infection.Saudi Arabia has temporarily stopped importing vegetables from European countries to prevent entry of agricultural products contaminated by the E. coli bacterium.
Minister of Agriculture Fahd Balghunaim said the import ban comes into effect Wednesday, adding that it would continue until the source of the virus becomes clear.
An official from SFDA said that import of vegetables from Europe is minimal since only five-star hotels use such items in the Kingdom.
The official said that although the definite source of the microbe is not yet identified, there is evidence that suggests that it could be from one of the varieties of fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes.
He said Saudis traveling to Europe should take extra precaution in their consumption of food overseas. "We are advising them to have only cooked food and avoid consuming raw vegetables," he said, pointing out that they also should strictly adhere to good personal hygiene.
The common European vegetables that are imported for these hotels include iceberg lettuce, frisee lettuce, red lettuce, Brussel sprouts, lolorosa lettuce and Boston lettuce.
According to a hotelier, most of these vegetables are imported into the Kingdom from Holland. The other European countries streamline their export of agricultural products through Holland, he added.
