The European Commission (EC) has lifted an import ban on fresh and chilled peas, sprouts and beans from Egypt imposed after the produce was linked to E.coli outbreaks in France and Germany, which killed at least 47 people. image expired

The EC said the import ban on fresh and chilled peas and beans, which was imposed in July, had been lifted after the risk to health from these products was reassessed following an audit of production sites in Egypt.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has written to port officials to inform them of these changes. The ban covered sprouted seeds and beans imported from Egypt; it was initially intended to last until 31 October, after the E.coli O104 outbreaks in Germany and France were linked to sprouted fenugreek seeds. Only a ban on fenugreek seeds will last until the end of the month.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which established the link to contaminated fenugreek seeds, had already lifted its warning on eating or growing sprouted seeds after it determined no more fenugreek seeds from the infected batch remained in Europe.