Seeds and sprouted seeds from Egypt
Monday 21 November 2011
On 7 July 2011, the European Commission published an emergency measure, Implementing Decision 2011/402/EU (as amended by Commission Implementing Decision 2011/880/EU), to prohibit the release for free circulation of fenugreek and certain seeds and beans and sprouts imported from Egypt until 31 March 2012.
The EU Decision follows the publication, on 5 July 2011, of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report into the possible source of the recent E. coli O104 outbreaks in Germany and France. The EFSA report concludes that a batch of fenugreek seeds, originally supplied from Egypt, is the most likely link between the two outbreaks.
Products affected by EU Decision 2011/402/EU (as amended)
| CN Code | Description |
|---|---|
| ex 0704 90 90 | Rocket sprouts |
| ex 0706 90 90 | Beetroot sprouts, radish sprouts |
| ex 0708 | Sprouts of leguminous vegetables, fresh or chilled |
| 0713 | Dried leguminous vegetables, shelled, whether or not skinned not broken |
| ex 0709 99 90 | Soya bean sprouts |
| ex 1201 | Soya beans, not broken |
| 1209 10 00 | Sugar beet seed |
| 1209 21 00 | Lucerne (alfalfa) seed |
| 1209 91 | Vegetable seeds |
| 1207 50 | Mustard seeds |
| ex 1207 97 | Other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, not broken |
| 0910 99 10 | Fenugreek seed |
| ex 1214 90 90 | Lucerne (alfalfa) sprouts |
A link to the amended Decision can be found at the bottom of the page.
EFSA and the Food Standards Agency’s advice is to consumers is unchanged. Sprouted seeds should only be eaten if they have been cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout; they should not be eaten raw. Equipment that has been used for sprouting seeds should be cleaned thoroughly after use. People should always wash their hands before and after handling seeds intended for planting or sprouting as well as when preparing food. This advice is being kept under review.
