Australia says Japan E.coli outbreak from processing

This illustration photo shows cooks preparing food at a restaurant in Japans Iwate prefecture. Australian livestock officials said an E.coli outbreak in Japan may have involved Australian meat, but that it was most likely contaminated during processing in Japan. 15 diners were infected with a strain of the bacteria after eating at a Korean-style barbecue restaurant on May 6. (AFP/File/Roslan Rahman)

June 3, 2011
SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian livestock officials Friday said an E. coli outbreak in Japan may have involved Australian meat, but that it was most likely contaminated during processing in Japan.

Some 15 diners were infected with the O157 strain of E. coli bacteria after eating at a Korean-style barbecue restaurant a Japanese outlet on May 6. All have since recovered.

Meat and Livestock Australia regional manager in Japan Melanie Brock said the outbreak was being investigated but there had been no official confirmation of the source of the beef involved.

"At this stage what we need to determine is at exactly what point the contamination has taken place," she told ABC Radio.

"We believe it has taken place during processing in Japan of Australian beef, but it's still very early here. We're working through the details."

The strain involved in Japan is not the same as the one involved in the current deadly outbreak in Europe.