\u201cIf it continues, it will compromise confidence in our food, because it damages our reputation as an utterly reliable food exporter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prof Peter Collignon explained to Leon why bean sprouts are particularly risky.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re a known higher risk source for infection, particularly E. coli but also listeria and salmonella,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason for that is the seeds are hatched in basically a very nutrient solution, not too dissimilar to urine in a lot of ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s got a lot of nutrients and allows bugs to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prof Collignon said the solution was \u201cgood for sprouting the seeds, but unfortunately it\u2019s also good for multiplying up the bacteria.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of us, if we only ingest one or two of these bacteria it doesn\u2019t matter, but if we ingest millions of them it does matter.\u201d<\/p>\n