Dangerous parasite found in strawberries from Estonia and Latvia, can damage liver for years

Scientists from the University of Tartu's Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, participating in a European-wide project, tested food products for dangerous parasites. Results show that in Estonian garden strawberries, eggs of Echinococcus multilocularis were found in 16.7% of samples – the highest rate in Europe. Latvia followed with 13.3%, and the Netherlands with 12.5%.

For the study, 30 packages of strawberries (200 grams each) were purchased at various Estonian markets. Samples were taken at the university laboratory and sent to France for final analysis. There, materials from ten European countries, as well as Tunisia and Pakistan, were examined. The tapeworm eggs cause alveolar echinococcosis, a disease that can silently damage the liver over many years and is fatal without treatment. Researchers recommend thorough washing of berries to reduce infection risk.