Leafy Greens Are Common Culprits in Food Poisoning Outbreaks
Leafy greens, such as the Romaine lettuce likely responsible for a 10-state E. coli outbreak that sickened 60 people over the last two months, are the most common source of foodborne illnesses.
Between 1990 and 2006, lettuce and leafy greens have been linked to 363 food poisoning outbreaks, more than any other non-meat food according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nutrition watchdog group.
The 10-state outbreak was initially thought to have stricken 37 salad bar customers at Schnucks grocery stores in the St. Louis area. However, further testing linked the E. coli 0157:H7 strain to a single lot of Romaine lettuce grown on a California farm and 60 illnesses in 10 states.
Other recent outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce include a 2010 E. coli O145 outbreak involving fresh romaine lettuce from Freshway Foods, Sidney, Ohio that sickened 26 people from five states. That outbreak was the first time that strain was identified as the source of a foodborne illness outbreak in the U.S. And, in 2008, Washington State Health Department linked commercial, bagged romaine lettuce as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Pierce and Thurston counties.
Romaine isn't the only leafy green that has been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks. Iceberg, mesculan and spinach have all caused outbreaks. Most notably, the 2006 Dole brand bagged baby spinach outbreak which was one of the largest E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks ever linked to leafy green vegetables in the United States. More than 200 people in 26 states were sickened and three died before the spread of infectious disease ended.
PritzkerOlsen is a national leader in food safety law. Contact our foodborne illness attorneys for a free consultation if you have legal questions about and illness or hospitalization associated with the recent outbreak.
