The source of the E-coli outbreak which has made over 1,500 people ill across Europe was still unclear on Thursday, but Dutch salad stuff has definitely been cleared, junior farm minister Henk Bleker said.

‘I am very pleased we now know Dutch cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce are clean and safe,’ the minister said. ‘But I am even more pleased that nothing has been found in Dutch vegetables which could cause health problems.’
Cucumber exports to Germany, where the outbreak is most severe, have collapsed since last week. The EU has agreed to fund a €20m campaign to emphasis European vegetables are safe to eat, the minister said.
At least nine Dutch nationals have been infected with the E-coli bacteria, public health board RIVM confirmed on Wednesday.

For more on the E-coli outbreak, click here