Katie Morley, consumer affairs editor
15 JULY 2016 • 5:31PM
Health fears are mounting over rocket bought in supermarkets and served as garnish in restaurants which may contain a deadly strain of e-coli that has so far killed two people and left dozens needing hospital treatment.
Authorities have ordered wholesalers supplying UK restaurant chains and supermarkets with mixed salad to stop importing rocket leaves from the Mediterranean, where the infected leaves are thought to have originated.
But rocket infected with the fatal e-coli strain "O157" could already be lurking on retailers shelves and in families' fridges, as two people have already died and more than 150 others have become infected with bacteria.
Several of the affected individuals ate salad items including rocket prior to becoming unwell
Dr Isabel Oliver
So far 62 of the cases are known to have received hospital care and is thought that the victims had eaten mixed salad containing rocket leaves before becoming unwell.
The Telegraph understands that authorities' investigations began in the South West of England around Bristol and Bath, where all cases were isolated until last week. But over the past few days it has emerged that further cases are being identified in other parts of England and in Wales, Scotland and the Channel Islands.
To prevent more people becoming ill the Food Standards Agency has warned shoppers to thoroughly wash all vegetables, including salads, intended to be eaten raw, unless they are specifically labelled "ready to eat", which means they have been pre-washed.
Despite the outbreak, supermarkets and restaurants will continue to sell rocket as usual as the FSA have stated that they do not have sufficient evidence to justify a full recall of retail products.
