"German agricultural authorities identified locally grown beansprouts as the likely cause of an E. coli outbreak that has killed 22 people and sickened hundreds in Europe.
The Lower Saxony agriculture ministry was sending an alert on Sunday warning people to stop eating the sprouts, which are often used in mixed salads, Gert Hahne, a ministry spokesman, said.
"Bean sprouts have been identified as the product that likely caused the outbreak," Hahne said, adding that "many restaurants that suffered from an E.coli outbreak had those sprouts delivered."
Hahne said the sprouts were grown on a farm in Lower Saxony in northern Germany. He did not elaborate but planned a news conference later on Sunday.
Hahne said while official test results have not yet conclusively shown that the Lower Saxony-grown sprouts were to blame, "all indications speak to them being" the cause.
He also said authorities would still keep their warning against eating tomatoes, cucumbers or lettuce in place for now."