No Criminal Charges Resulting from Spinach-Linked E. coli Outbreak
The U.S. Attorney General’s office has determined that criminal charges are not warranted in the 2006 E. coli outbreak linked to fresh, bagged California spinach. The outbreak was responsible for the deaths of at least 3 people, and hundreds of people were sickened, many with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
The investigation into the outbreak involved two processing plants and several farms. The outbreak was traced to a field where Mission Organics grew spinach for Natural Selection. The theory is that wild pigs brought the feces of nearby cattle into the field, contaminating the spinach.
Although it is rare that criminal charges are filed following a foodborne outbreak in the United States, in 1996, an E. coli outbreak linked to lettuce did lead to criminal charges for violating food-safety laws. In that case an E. coli outbreak in the Eastern United States was traced back to Fancy Cutt Farms in California. According to the criminal complaint, the lettuce was processed in unsanitary conditions that could lead to bacterial contamination. The company was rinsing lettuce in dirty, bacteria-laden water close to cattle. It was believed that dust-borne manure contaminated with E. coli got into the rinsing water.