Fall 2020 E. coli outbreak was caused by cattle feces!
It usually is!
Food safety experts are convinced that if there is an E.coli O157 H7 outbreak, cattle manure was nearby. One of the “unidentified outbreaks'' that happened this past fall is apparently no exception! There were three outbreaks of illness caused by Shiga-toxin E.coli, one of which was linked to leafy greens. The FDA showed that the E.coli was genetically related to the E.coli that caused the fall 2019 outbreak that meant we all had a Romaine-free Thanksgiving!
After carrying out large scale environmental samples at nearby ranches and farms of interest, FDA didn’t find any leafy greens with the suspect E. coli present. However, they did find it in the cattle feces on a roadside uphill from where leafy greens and other vegetables were grown. As the FDA says:
“While the finding does not provide definitive information on how E. coli may have contaminated product during the growing and harvesting season, it does confirm the presence of a strain of E. coli O157:H7 that causes recurring outbreaks in a more narrowly defined growing region and a potential, continued source of contamination.”
If you are growing leafy greens, do you know what other farming is happening around you? It is critical to have all your food safety systems in place to make sure your leafy greens and other produce are safe. Book a call today to ensure all your food safety systems are compliant.