Hold the Lettuce, Please
Federal and state health officials are quite certain that lettuce was the source of the E. coli outbreak that sickened over 80 people who ate at Taco John's restaurants in Albert Lea and Austin, Minnesota, and Cedar Falls, Iowa. They are also quite certain that the California field where the lettuce was grown is next to a field where cattle graze. Cattle manure is the primary source of E. coli O157:H7, the potentially-fatal E. coli strain that sickened the victims of the Taco John's-linked outbreak. At this point, regulators can't change the situation.
What is needed is regulations prohibiting farmers from growing lettuce and spinach near grazing cattle. If that doesn't happen, there will be more E. coli outbreaks linked to spinach and lettuce. Given the snail's pace of change at the federal level, California should immediately take all measures necessary to make sure that lettuce and spinach are not grown next to grazing cattle. Growers may suffer economically initially, but it would ultimately benefit both growers and consumers. Until then, consumers should consider where produce is grown before purchasing it. And when dining out, consumers may want to say, "Hold the lettuce, please."
What is needed is regulations prohibiting farmers from growing lettuce and spinach near grazing cattle. If that doesn't happen, there will be more E. coli outbreaks linked to spinach and lettuce. Given the snail's pace of change at the federal level, California should immediately take all measures necessary to make sure that lettuce and spinach are not grown next to grazing cattle. Growers may suffer economically initially, but it would ultimately benefit both growers and consumers. Until then, consumers should consider where produce is grown before purchasing it. And when dining out, consumers may want to say, "Hold the lettuce, please."
