Food Poisoning Law Blog

At the public meeting held by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, plans were announced to begin testing for non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli, or non-O157 STECs. The announcement comes in response to the growing amount of outbreaks associated with E. coli.  Although most dangerous outbreaks, especially among beef, are related to E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 STECs can pose just as many problems to the food industry. The USDA does not currently collect any data to track non-O157 STECs, so the testing will be done primarily to study the bacteria and collect as much data as possible.

The new testing procedures will be done primarily for collecting data. As of now, the USDA does not plan on declaring non-O157 STECs as adulterants like O157:H7, but will use the data collected to determine that at a later date.  The USDA will test samples that tested positive for O157 and also those that did not.  No recalls will be issued by the USDA if a sample tests positive only for non-O157 STECs.

Samples will be tested for six different strains: 026, 0111, 0103, 0121, 045, and 0145. These strains have been shown to cause the greatest number of illnesses among non-O157 STECs.  If the USDA declares these strains as adulterants after collecting data, products contaminated with they will undergo the restrictions applied to O157:H7.  According to Meatingplace, the USDA has prepared the following checklist if non-O157 STECs are labeled as adulterants:

• define applicable products from slaughter/dressing and further processing operations
• issue a Federal Register Notice in the form of an interpretive rule
• establish an effective date that ensures sufficient time to address seamless implementation for both domestic and imported products
• issue compliance guidelines
• issue policy implementation instructions and train FSIS inspection personnel
• conduct outreach to the regulated industry

Foodconsumer.org provided information from FoodNet showing that the number of cases and incidence per 100,000 population in 2007 for non-O157 STECs were 260 per 100,000, or .57%.  The incidence for O157 STECs was 1.20%. However, CIDRAP has stated that states such as Virginia and Idaho (not part of FoodNet) have shown that the prevalence of non-O157 STECs is already equal or greater than the prevalence of O157:H7. This information provides raw numbers, showing that non-O157 STECs are almost as big, if not bigger, a problem as O157 STECs.

A study on PubMed shows that even if non-O157 STECs aren’t as prevalent as O157, they may be just as dangerous.  After examining 940 non-O157 cases of human illness between 1983 and 2002, researchers discovered that the six strains the USDA will be focusing on are indeed the most prevalent in human illness. The data also showed that many of the bacteria were producing Shiga toxin 1 and Shiga toxin 2.  Shiga toxin 2 had a strong association with causing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). According to the data, the 0111 strain caused the most cases of HUS and also caused 3 outbreaks reported in the United States.

Much of the danger associated with E. coli O157:H7 involves its ability to cause HUS, which can often be fatal.  Research shows that non-O157 STECs can also cause HUS, making them just as dangerous as O157:H7.  Non-O157 STECs also contained genes for intimin, which has been shown to increase the risk of bloody diarrhea.  These are serious symptoms, which pose a great health risk to consumers.  More research and the new plan from the USDA to test for these bacteria can only help to better understand illness rates and to better protect the American consumer.

The food industry has already begun to oppose the USDA’s decision to enact the new testing program, especially among the beef industry.  The Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) opposes declaring non-O157 STECs as adulterants, telling CIDRAP that, “The best course of action is for industry and government to continue targeting E coli O157:H7 with validated interventions and appropriate testing since this is the subgroup that is most virulent and most often associated with severe human disease. Broad spectrum interventions currently in place will have a correlated effect on other serogroups beyond O157." The American Meat Institute also opposes the new testing.

The food industry may have to start regulating their products more intensely, especially if the USDA’s study shows that non-O157 STECs are indeed as dangerous as E. coli O157:H7. The food industry seems to want to keep doing business as usual. In response to this, FSIS Under Secretary Richard Raymond said, “You certainly may hear things you don’t agree with...Progress won’t occur if we’re just wanting to avoid discomfort by maintaining the old status quo. The E. coli bug is obviously not satisfied with the status quo and neither should we be.”