Posted: November 9th, 2011 - 8:24pm
Source: iol news

An Irish Cheddar cheese consignment seized by the Durban Port Health authorities three months ago, will be re-exported to Ireland because health officials found it was not fit for human consumption.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health said yesterday that the container of Cheddar, which is contaminated with E coli, was being detained at a bond cold-store facility and could only leave South Africa once re-exportation documents had been finalised with the South African Revenue Services (Sars).
Microbiological tests were conducted on samples taken from the Cheddar consignment, which was being imported by a chain store.
E coli, also known as Escherichia coli, is a bacterium commonly found in the gut of endotherms (warm-blooded organisms).
Chris Maxon, the health department’s spokesman, said the chain store, the identity of which the department could not divulge, opted for the product to be sent back to its country of origin.