British seeds company blamed for E coli outbreak in France

Britain's Food Standards Agency has recommended that sprouted seeds be cooked thoroughly before consumption, and advised against eating them raw, following an outbreak of E coli poisoning in France.

"Following further cases of E. coli in France, the FSA is revising its guidance on the consumption of sprouted seeds such as alfalfa, mung beans -- usually known as bean sprouts -- and fenugreek," said an updated statement issued over the weekend.

"As a precaution, the Agency is advising that sprouted seeds should only be eaten if they have been cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout; they should not be eaten raw," it added on Saturday.

A British mail order plant and seed company, Thompson & Morgan, has meanwhile denied claims that the French outbreak might have been caused by its products.

The Ipswich, eastern-England based  company is co-operating with the investigation into the matter.

The FSA has already stressed that no cases of such food poisoning had been reported in Britain.