Urgent warning not to pick popular plant over fears of deadly disease
River Kennet
Foragers have been urged not to pick wild garlic over fears it has been contaminated with the deadly E. coli bacteria after fields were flooded with raw sewage earlier this year.
Marlborough Town Council in Wiltshire has issued warning in respect for areas close to a tributary of the River Kennet.
A statement on the council’s website said: “It has been brought to our attention that people have been foraging wild garlic at Coopers Meadow.
“The floods on 5 January caused Coopers Meadow to be flooded with water contaminated with a significant amount of human waste when the sewers overflowed.
“This will be the same for anywhere near the river, including St George’s Preshute.”
Microscopic blue bacteria background
As a result, there was a risk that anything growing there would be contaminated with the bacteria, which can cause serious illness and even death.
The statement added: “As well as the serious risks to health, the result of this activity by a few people means that there is now a large, unsightly, bare patch where the plants may not recover.
“Please remember that with rights come responsibilities.”
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) reinforced the warning.
A spokesperson said: “Wild garlic is not usually cooked and tends to be used as a garnish, so from a microbiological point of view, we would advise not to eat wild garlic that has been touched by floodwater or sewage.”
According to the Royal Horticulture Society, it will probably be safe to eat crops the following year after flooding.
A statement on its website said: “After flooding, edible crops near to harvest are best not eaten: no assurances can be given that root crops will be safe to eat, so they should be discarded.
“Plants eaten raw should be discarded too, and it is prudent to avoid growing salads and other uncooked crops for two years in case disease spores remain in the soil.”