Fresh fruits, vegetables triggering food poisoning outbreaks

Beware of fresh fruits and vegetables - they can trigger food poisoning outbreaks, latest research shows.

Beware of fresh fruits and vegetables - they can trigger food poisoning outbreaks, latest research shows.

A review co-authored by several experts has highlighted the fact that fresh fruits and vegetables are increasingly recognised as a source of food poisoning outbreaks in many parts of the world.

Recent outbreaks in Europe have revealed new and unexplained links between some bacteria and viruses that cause food poisoning and imported baby corn, lettuce, and even raspberries.

Similarly, in the US, outbreaks of E Coli infections have been linked to bagged baby spinach, and salmonella to peppers, imported cantaloupe melons and tomatoes as well.

"This research confirms that raw fruit and vegetables can cause food poisoning... Raw fruit and vegetables out of season... are transported many thousands of miles from growing areas, and outbreaks can affect many widely dispersed countries simultaneously," said Norman Noah, professor and editor-in-chief of Epidemiology and Infection, which published the study.