Lettuce and leafy greens are on the top of the list of the 10 riskiest foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
No lettuce E. coli outbreaks have occurred this summer, but earlier this month Fresh Express recalled Romaine-based salad products with Use-by Dates of July 8 – 12 and an “S” in the Product Code.
The reason for the recall was a positive test result for E. coli O157:H7 found by FDA in a random sample of a single Hearts of Romaine salad. Although no longer being sold, consumers may still have the expired product in their homes and are warned not to eat it. No illness have been associated with the recall.
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nutrition watchdog group for consumers, has said the food group of lettuce and leafy greens has been linked to the most food poisoning outbreaks — 363 outbreaks from 1990 to 2006 — of any of the foods regulated by FDA that it surveyed. (The FDA does not regulate meat).
The outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter and other pathogens have caused more than 13,500 illnesses. Manure, contaminated irrigation water, or poor handling practices are all possible culprits in those outbreaks.
The average size of lettuce E. coli outbreaks is larger than outbreaks from other foods, thus affecting more people, according to CSPI.
Leafy greens are among the healthiest of foods when not contaminated with harmful bacteria. But there are reasons why contamination reoccurs:
- They grow close to the ground, where they come in contact with manure, water runoff and wild animal feces — all of which can harbor pathogens.
- Cutting and bagging the greens allows microbes to enter the plants and flourish before the bags are opened.
- They are often eaten raw, without being processed with the normal kill step of applied heat.
- Machinery used in processing can cross-contaminate production lots and expand problems.
“Outbreaks give the best evidence of where and when the food safety system is failing to protect the public,” said Sarah Klein, lead author of the report by CSPI.
One of the worst outbreaks came in 2006. The Dole bagged baby spinach E. coli outbreak sickened 205 people in 26 states and caused three deaths. Two victims were elderly and one was a child, 2 years old.
Later the same year, E. coli O157:H7 appeared in produce once more when two separate incidents of contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce sickened a total of 152 individuals at chain restaurants Taco Bell and Taco John. Pritzker Olsen law firm was involved in representing victims of the Taco Bell lettuce E. coli outbreak and the Dole baby spinach outbreak.
We know that E. coli O157:H7 microbes stick especially well to leaf lettuce — especially when the crop is cut and bagged. They become embedded in the plant and are thus protected from surface washing in some cases. The organisms thrive in the environment of a plastic bag, especially when temperatures rise and refrigeration is more crucial. Many people also are in the unsafe practice of eating bagged lettuce without washing it.
If you or a loved one have been sickened by lettuce E. coli O157:H7 or other human pathogen on leafy green vegetables, contact an attorney at Pritzker Olsen for a free case consultation. By phone, your free inquiry can be taken at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.
Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of food borne illness litigation and we have recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning. Pritzker Olsen is dedicated to education and prevention of E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter and other harmful bacteria found in our food. Founder and president Fred Pritzker is a sought-after food safety expert who has long advocated strong food safety laws and more inspections of our food.
