BERLIN - German officials say initial tests show that sprouts from an organic farm in the country's north are not the cause of the E. coli outbreak.
Lower-Saxony state's agriculture ministry said Monday that 23 of 40 samples from the sprout farm suspected of being behind the outbreak have tested negative for the relevant bacteria.
It said further tests are pending.
The E. coli outbreak in Germany has killed at least 22 people and sickened more than 2,300 across Europe, leaving customers uneasy about eating raw vegetables.
