German cuke panic counterproductive

Analyses have revealed that although Spanish cucumbers are infected with E. coli bacteria they don't carry the variant responsible for the deaths. The premature accusations of the past week against Spanish cucumbers are the result of contra-productive hysteria, writes the liberal daily Libération: "Our societies are obsessed by the principle of precaution and want to live without taking the slightest risk. In this context contamination with the E. coli bacteria seems all the more incongruous, not to say scandalous. The German authorities will have to justify their hasty and apparently unfounded accusations against Spanish organic vegetables, as the contamination could well have taken place in their own country. Their experts have contaminated Europe with a fear of vegetables at the risk of ruining an entire sector. Suspicion must be kept in check in public health policy. It only leads to panic, whereas consumers need to be informed and educated. This psychotic policy is devastating for the economy, but even more so for our health."

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