Michigan E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Linked to Bagged Lettuce, Again; Food Safety Attorney, William Marler, Gives History Lesson.
SEATTLE--(Business Wire)--
"E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks associated with lettuce or spinach,
specifically the "pre-washed" and "ready-to-eat" varieties sold under
various brand and trade names, are by no means a new phenomenon,"
according to food-safety attorney, William D. Marler, of Marler Clark.
By way of illustration:
-- in October 2003, thirteen residents of a California
retirement home were sickened, and two people died, after
eating E. coli-contaminated, pre-washed spinach;
-- in September 2003, nearly forty patrons of a California
restaurant chain fell ill after eating salads prepared
with bagged, pre-washed lettuce; and
-- in July 2002, over fifty young women fell ill with E. coli
O157:H7 at a dance camp after eating "pre-washed" lettuce,
leaving several hospitalized and one with life-long kidney
damage.
And this is just a small sampling of the twenty or more E. coli
O157:H7 outbreaks since 1995 in which spinach or lettuce was the
source.
Several more outbreaks linked to contaminated leafy-produce,
including most recently the September 2005 Dole packaged lettuce
outbreak, are identified in the chart below, which is based on
information gathered by the Center for Science in the Public
Interest:(1)
-0-
*T
Date Vehicle Etiology Reported States/Provinces
Cases
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug. 1993 Salad Bar E. coli 53 1:WA
O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
July 1995 Lettuce (leafy E. coli 70 1:MT
green; red; O157:H7
romaine)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sept. 1995 Lettuce E. coli 20 1:ID
(romaine) O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sept. 1995 Lettuce E. coli 30 1:ME
(iceberg) O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oct. 1995 Lettuce E. coli 11 1:OH
(iceberg; O157:H7
unconfirmed)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
May-June 1996 Lettuce E. coli 61 3:CT, IL, NY
(mesclun; red O157:H7
leaf)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
May 1998 Salad E. coli 2 1:CA
O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Feb.-Mar. 1999 Lettuce E. coli 72 1:NE
(iceberg) O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
July-Aug. 2002 Lettuce E. coli 29 2:WA, ID
(romaine) O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oct. 2003-May 2004 Lettuce (mixed E. coli 57 1:CA
salad) O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Apr. 2004 Spinach E. coli 16 1:CA
O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sep. 2005 Lettuce E. coli 32 3:MN, WI, OR
(romaine) O157:H7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*T
The most recent major E. coli outbreak ties to leafy greens was
the Dole Spinach outbreak of 2006. This included 205 illnesses due to
E. coli O157:H7 reported the CDC. This number included 31 cases of
HUS, 102 hospitalizations, and 3 deaths. The FDA maintained its
conclusion that all the implicated spinach was traced back to Salinas
Valley in California.
"We never seem to learn," said Mr. Marler. In November 2005, the
FDA elucidated its past efforts and present concerns in its "Letter to
California Firms that Grow, Pack, Process, or Ship Fresh and Fresh-Cut
Lettuce." The letter begins:
"This letter is intended to make you aware of the Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA's) serious concern with the continuing outbreaks
of food borne illness associated with the consumption of fresh and
fresh-cut lettuce and other leafy greens."
The FDA efforts to lead the lettuce industry to safer practices
were nothing new. In 1998, the FDA issued guidance to the industry
entitled "Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fruits
and Vegetables." The guide is specifically designed to assist growers
and packers in the implementation of safer manufacturing practices. On
February 5, 2004, the FDA issued a letter to the lettuce and tomato
industries to "make them aware of (FDA's) concerns regarding
continuing outbreaks associated with these two commodities and to
encourage the industries to review their practices."
BACKGROUND: Marler Clark has extensive experience representing
victims of E. coli bacterial infections. The firm has represented over
1,000 E. coli victims since 1993, when William Marler represented HUS
survivor Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million E. coli settlement with
Jack in the Box. Since that time, Marler Clark has represented victims
of E. coli outbreaks traced to ConAgra, AFG, Cub Foods, Supervalu,
Carneco, Excel, Topps, Stop & Shop and other ground beef suppliers.
(1) The CSPI Outbreak database can be found here:
http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/outbreak_report.html.
Marler Clark
William D. Marler, 1-206-794-5043
bmarler@marlerclark.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
