Shredded Lettuce

A farmer in Ronnenberg near Hanover in northern Germany shreds his crop of lettuce because of the threat of the deadly E. coli bug. The bacteria has so far claimed at least 11 lives in Germany, primarily in the north of the country. In Hamburg, at least 467 cases or suspected cases of E. coli had been recorded by Monday afternoon. The exact origins of the latest outbreak of the bacteria, a strain that appears to be resistant to different antibiotics, are still unknown: Vegetables imported from Spain to northern Germany have come under suspicion. Unable to sell their produce to consumers, farmers like this one are shredding their crops — and dreams of fresh summer salads with them.

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