The European Union on Monday lifted a nine-month ban on Egyptian seeds, allowing the exports of 11 types of seeds to the EU.
The ban was implemented in July 2011 after European authorities attributed an E. coli outbreak in France and Germany to Egyptian seeds, affecting thousands of people. The European Commission had withdrawn 15,000 tons of Egyptian fenugreek seeds from the markets in 2009.
More than 4,100 people in Europe and North America fell ill during two outbreaks of E. coli infection. One was centered in northern Germany and a smaller outbreak was centered around the French city of Bordeaux.
“Egypt implemented all the requirements of the EU Food Safety Authority,” explained Ali Suleiman, former director of the agricultural products quarantine.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
