Spain May Take Legal Action Against Germany Over E. coli Scare

Spain is considering legal action against German authorities for saying that Spanish vegetables may be to blame for an E. coli outbreak that has killed more than a dozen and sickened hundreds, according to the Associated Press. Spain has complained that German authorities pointed the finger at Spanish produce before the result of tests were known. The allegations have virtually paralyzed exports of Spanish fruit and vegetables, causing major financial losses. After days of uncertainty Hamburg officials said that tests showed that Spanish cucumbers which were examined had traces of a dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria, but not the one that caused the outbreak. Spanish farmers said they are still calculating their losses and damage to others hit by fear of Spanish produce.