Three years after the scandal surrounding the Wilke sausage manufacturer, people in Hesse are again suffering from listeriosis because of food contaminated with germs.

One died.

As the newspaper Welt am Sonntag reports, the Darmstadt public prosecutor's office is investigating a fruit and vegetable company in southern Hesse.

According to the report, he had supplied sliced ​​cucumbers, which were also eaten by patients in hospitals as part of their salads.

At least two of the four patients are said to have been infected during a stay in the clinic.

Ewald Hetrodt

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung in Wiesbaden.

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The Hessian task force for food safety found standing puddles, rat droppings and mold in production when inspecting the company and complained about the lack of cleaning plans and insufficient internal controls.

In addition, structural defects such as missing hygiene locks or insufficient water drainage were noticed.

According to the "Welt am Sonntag", the responsible veterinary office in Groß-Gerau had not checked the company for two years.

One to two audits per year are required.

The district admitted that it had not monitored the operation in accordance with the legal requirements.

Basically, during the corona pandemic, the office carried out “significantly too few” audits in companies that have to be checked more frequently due to an increased health risk.

Memories of the Wilke scandal

According to the report, district administrator Thomas Will (SPD) and health department head Walter Astheimer (Greens) "deeply regretted" that there was "a control gap that could endanger people's health and lives".

The Hessian authorities became aware of the current food scandal in mid-February and prohibited the company from further processing food.

The case is reminiscent of the food scandal that started in northern Hesse in spring 2019.

At that time, products from the Wilke company were found to contain listeria, which can be life-threatening for people with a weak immune system.

The case caused a stir throughout Germany because it was linked to three deaths and 37 cases of illness.

The reforms prompted by Consumer Protection Minister Priska Hinz (Die Grünen) were met with criticism.

Just a few weeks ago, the Hessian state audit office complained about monitoring deficits and recommended that the ministry clarify the causes and work with the veterinary authorities to ensure uniform controls.

As long as the legally prescribed planned controls cannot be carried out completely, higher-risk companies should be monitored with priority, said the Court of Auditors.

He suggested that the taking of samples in the companies should be made the task of the state laboratory in the medium term.

It means efficient centralization if the taking and the examination of the samples are in one hand.

In addition, the municipal authorities would be relieved by the state.

You would have more time for operational checks.

The FDP member of parliament in the Hessian state parliament, Wiebke Knell, was shocked on Saturday.

After the Wilke scandal, Hinz failed to tighten food controls.

"Unfortunately, this has become the sad reality of what we have been warning about for years." The most recent case makes it clear that the responsibility for food controls for high-risk companies and central warehouses must be reorganized.

According to the politician, the measures taken by the state government did not result in the mandatory number of random checks being carried out across the board.

The food controls for high-risk companies and central warehouses should be given the responsibility of the regional councils.

On the one hand, this would relieve the veterinary offices in the districts and urban districts.

On the other hand, the state government, as a technical supervisor, must then ensure that all prescribed controls are carried out.