Agriculture Minister: No Contagious Cucumbers in Bulgaria

Cucumbers are seen at a plantation in Almeria, southern Spain. Photo by EPA/BGNES

No contagious cucumbers have been imported to Bulgaria, stated Minister of Agriculture and Foods Miroslav Naydenov Sunday confirming an earlier study by the national Food Safety Authority.

"Bulgarian consumers must rest assured on that. Agencies are notwithstanding continually and thoroughly checking everything that mandates any worry," added Naydenov.

Organic cucumbers originating from Spain and imported to Germany are believed to be infected with a special strand of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) which causes the hemolytic uraemic syndrome, associated with hemolytic anemia and might cause acute renal failure and death.

Over 1000 cases of the hemolytic uraemic sydnrome have been diagnozed accross Europe this far in the outbreak, including 10 fatalities in Germany.

"Bulgaria cannot unilateraly impose a ban on the import of cucumbers from Germany - this can happen only with the approval of the European Commission, but for the time being there are no indications such a ban will be imposed," recalled Naydenov.

He further stated that the present events show the need that Bulgaria maintain a separate national Food Safety Agency.

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