Lettuce E. coli Make Leafy Greens "Riskiest" Food
Dole brand bagged baby spinach was the vehicle for one of the largest E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks ever linked to leafy green vegetables in the United States. It was late 2006 and more than 200 people in 26 states were sickened and three died before the spread of infectious disease ended.
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According to Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a prominent nutrition watchdog group from Washington, D.C., the baby spinach outbreak was just one of 363 linked to lettuce, spinach, romaine and other leafy green vegetables from 1990 to 2006. By claiming 13,568 combined victims, the food group was chosen by CSPI as the riskiest of 10 foods regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that consumers should approach with caution.
The list was published this week in a report written by CSPI staff attorney Sarah Klein, who noted that hearings are being held now around the country on national production and handling rules proposed by the Obama administration.
Of course, pathogen-free leafy greens are among the most nutritious foods we can eat. But national food safety law firm Pritzer Olsen Attorneys knows from E. coli outbreak experience that lettuce, spinach and other vegetables that grow close to the ground can become contaminated by spring flooding, water runoff, manure spreading and the feces of wild animals. All those elements frequently harbor microscopic, disease-causing bugs.
Our law firm represented victims of the 2006 Dole baby spinach outbreak and continues to represent victims of all other foodborne illness outbreaks. We are one of the few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of food poisoning litigation and we have collected tens of millions for survivors of these outbreaks. To contact us, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or receive a free case consultation by completing our contact form online.
After seeing first hand the human pain and suffering that can result from pathogenic infectious disease, we wonder why the U.S. doesn't ban bagged leafy greens because of their chronic association with outbreaks. The baby spinach outbreak, lettuce E. coli outbreaks and others like them have demonstrated that E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella can be introduced into the leaves through cutting and processing. When bagged, the bacteria can cluster and flourish. Many consumers don't wash leaves that come in bags, and even if they do, the bacteria may be lodged inside the plants and won't wash off.
Here is the CSPI list of the 10 riskiest foods regulated by FDA, which excludes meat -- a food group monitored by USDA.
- Leafy Greens
- Eggs
- Tuna
- Oysters
- Potatoes
- Cheese
- Ice Cream
- Tomatoes
- Sprouts
- Berries
