The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) completed laboratory analyses of the withdrawn lot of cherry tomatoes originating in Morocco (lot number: 3033404 LOT2005) sold by company Penny Market s.r.o., at which presence of a strain of bacteria Escherichia coli was found.

Additional analysis of the isolated strain carried out in laboratory conditions confirmed neither the ability to produce the unsafe Shiga toxin nor other elements associated with possible serious disease.

As CAFIA already mentioned in its press release of 26^th May 2014, none of the analyses focused on more than 300 analytes did not help to reveal the cause of the health complications of consumers. Even serotypisation did not confirm that unsafe bacteria Escherichia coli could be the cause. Which means that just as in other EU countries, the cause was not revealed in the CR either. Withdrawal of the lots mentioned in the press release of 19^th May 2014 remains in force and the decision of CAFIA was made in compliance with legislation.

Putting other lots of cherry tomatoes from Morocco into circulation is not in contradiction to legislation and CAFIA measures on condition that they are safe. Food business operators are responsible for ensuring safety of foodstuffs they put into circulation.

CAFIA still strongly recommends consumers they wash all fresh fruit and vegetables in potable water before they eat them.