Print

Print
I would agree with Russell.

By analogy, we do not allow raw sewage to be used as fertiliser on food crops due to potential microbial contamination, so would we recommend that vegetables that have been flooded by sewage are safe to eat?

If you need something more definitive it might be worth contacting the Health Protection Agency and the Food Standards Agency. 

Regards

Frank Westcott

Technical Solutions for Sustainable and Brownfield Development

Magnolia House, 15a Fore Street, Roche, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 8EP
0330 330 8015
07973 616197

This e-mail may contain privileged and confidential information and/or
copyright material which is intended only for the addressees named above.
Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised and copying, distribution
or any action taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful.

Westenviro does not warrant that any e-mail messages and attachments are free from viruses or other defects and accept no liability for any losses resulting from infected email transmissions.

On 19 Jul 2012, at 12:48, Thomas, Russell wrote:

Dear Lisa
 
I would suggest that although the likelihood is that the majority of any human or zoonotic pathogens from sewage would have since died, you cannot be certain that this will be the case.
 
There could potentially be a risk from chemicals in the flood water as well.   
 
I would be very cautious about eating any produce from the allotments. As a microbiologist I would not personally recommend that the affected food was eaten, and if it is to be eaten then it should only be after thorough washing and boiling or cooking at a high heat for an extended period. Microbes are very effective at getting into inaccessible places and can be buffered from the effects of heat to a certain degree. I would certainly not eat any salads. You would have to ensure that any cuts/skin diseases were covered and protected from the vegetables and the waters used to wash them.  
 
UV light won’t be effective as it won’t get into all the inaccessible places the microbes could have entered. This is used at commercial scales for food but I don’t think it would be successful on veg.  
 
The link attached below give a small discussion in the second to last paragraph.
 
 
 
 
Best Regards
Dr Russell Thomas 
Technical Director Environment
44-(0)117-933-9262 (direct)
 
 
From: Contaminated Land Management Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lisa Maxwell
Sent: 19 July 2012 12:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject:
 

 

Afternoon All
 
I have been asked by one of allotment officers if I could help him get something more concrete to advise the allotment tenants on one of the allotments affected during the flooding that occurred a couple of weeks back.  Please see the query he has already posted to a forum of his own peers.
 
One of my allotments sites was flooded when a couple of sewer covers where lifted during wet Thursday this resulted in flooding which covered crops for about 24 hours. I have referred the tenants to the Water Company who have done the usual act of God response.
But they are sitting on the fence when it comes to advice on if the flood washed produce is safe to eat. I am aware of the U V light killing water laden germs and that land should not be cultivated. But would love to refer the tenants to more advice on if they should eat their precious produce.
 
Have any of you found any good source of advice that you can share with me.  Many thanks,  Mike
 
Many thanks in advance.  I will collated any responses and post them in time.
 
Kind Regards
 
Lisa
 
L Maxwell
 
Contaminated Land Officer
North Tyneside Council
Consumer Protection Group
Environmental Health
Quadrant (East)
Silverlink North
Cobalt Business Park
North Tyneside
NE27 0BY
 
Desk location 1L/21/04
 
Tel. 0191 643 6642
Fax. 0191 643 2426
 


This email has been scanned for viruses, spam and inappropriate content by Mimecast Unified Email Management Services.

______________________________________________________________________
NOTICE: This communication and any attachments ("this message") may contain confidential information for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). Any unauthorized use, disclosure, viewing, copying, alteration, dissemination or distribution of, or reliance on this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, or you are not an authorized recipient, please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message, delete this message and all copies from your e-mail system and destroy any printed copies.