German Biogas Association says biogas not to blame for E. coli outbreak

(ADPnews) - Jun 6, 2011 - The German Biogas Association rejected on Monday suppositions that the Escherichia coli outbreak in Europe may have originated in biogas facilities.

The head of the agricultural and veterinary academy in Horstmar, Ernst-Guenther Hellwig, earlier said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag that biogas production may be the reason for the outbreak. The German Biogas Association ruled out such a possibility, saying fermentation products from properly operating biogas production facilities represent no health threat. What is more, fermentation products from biogas installations are normally not used in vegetable growing, the association said.

The association's president, Josef Pellmeyer, nevertheless appealed to biogas producers to co-operate if their facilities are examined for the deadly bacteria.

The rare E. coli strain has so far infected more than 2,200 people and caused the death of 22. Experts are still trying to determine to source from which the bacteria spread. One of the theories is that organic farming, and bean sprouts in particular, may be to blame for the outbreak.

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