Russia has suspended imports of potatoes from Egypt on health and sanitation grounds, the country's food safety authority said on Friday.
Rosselkhoznadzor said the Egyptian-produced potatoes could "destabilize the sanitary situation in the country."
The ban will be in place until the produce meets safety requirements, Rosselkhoznadzor spokesman Alexei Alexeyenko said.
The move comes the day after Russia banned the import of all fresh vegetables from the European Union in a bid to prevent a deadly E. coli bacterial outbreak from spreading into the country.
The outbreak, centered in Germany, has killed 18 people and left hundreds of others seriously ill.
MOSCOW, June 3 (RIA Novosti)
