HEALTH authorities have issued an EU-wide alert after a batch of Spanish olives was found contaminated with a dangerous bacterium linked to potentially serious illnesses in humans.
Spanish officials are now racing to trace shipments from the affected batch after authorities in Poland detected traces of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli in the green olives.
The bacterium produces a toxin known as Shiga, which the Carlos III Health Centre warned can trigger ‘serious systemic diseases in humans.’
The alert was reportedly raised through the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), with the contamination discovered during routine food safety checks.
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Authorities are now working to ensure the affected olives are removed from circulation before they can reach more consumers.
Health officials warned that Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea, with some cases progressing to bloody diarrhoea and kidney complications.
Young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are considered most at risk.
Consumers who believe they may have purchased olives from the affected batch have been urged not to eat them and to seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms linked to food poisoning.
Similar EU alerts over contaminated food products have previously led to rapid recalls across multiple countries.
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