E. coli Outbreak Associated with Lettuce Prompts Call for Better Sanitation

MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--
According to Pritzker / Ruohonen & Associates, P.A., ten cases of
E. coli O157:H7 in the state of Washington have been associated with
the consumption of lettuce. Based on interviews of those sickened,
health officials believe the source of the outbreak is bagged,
commercial romaine lettuce.

Six of the people sickened were Pierce County residents. Five of
them had laboratory-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7. The sixth
person had symptoms identical with those of the other five, but a lab
test was not done to confirm E. coli O157:H7. The cases may be
associated with a restaurant and an educational institution. Because
the outbreak is deemed over, health officials are not releasing the
names of either, but Internet accounts of the outbreak indicate that
some of those sickened may have eaten salads at Pacific Lutheran
University in Tacoma.

Four of the people sickened were Thurston County residents. All
four had laboratory-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7. Three of them
attend Capital High School in Olympia and ate salads in the school
cafeteria. The fourth person attends Thurgood Marshall Middle School
in Olympia and ate a salad there.

"This is yet another example of contaminated lettuce causing
illness," stated Pritzker. "At the bottom of every E. coli outbreak is
bad sanitation. It is up to the lettuce industry to clean up its act
and use good sanitation practices on every farm, every day."

Cattle are the principal source of E. coli O157:H7 infections.
Cattle manure containing E. coli O157:H7 can contaminate water that
flows through lettuce fields and that is used for irrigation,
pesticide application, and/or washing lettuce. Therefore, it is
imperative that lettuce not be planted near cattle operations.

In addition, Pritzker and other food safety advocates have been
pushing for regulations requiring the lettuce industry to do the
following: 1) frequently test irrigation water; 2) frequently test
bags of lettuce and salad before they reach the consumer; 3) educate
workers throughout the industry about the importance of hand washing
and not coming to work if they are sick; 4) and prevent animals, both
domestic and wild, from wandering on to lettuce fields.

Because a number of E. coli outbreaks have been linked to bagged
lettuce and spinach, federal and state regulators should frequently
inspect processing plants.

"The lettuce industry and state and federal governments have to
work together to ensure the safety of lettuce. A mother should not
have to worry if the salad she is serving her children will make them
sick," stated Pritzker.

Pritzker / Ruohonen & Associates, P.A. is one of the few law firms
in the United States that practices extensively in the area of
foodborne illness litigation. The firm has collected millions of
dollars on behalf of victims of E. coli outbreaks. For more
information, visit http://www.pritzkerlaw.com or contact Fred Pritzker
at (612) 338-0202. Pritzker / Ruohonen has offices are located at
Plaza VII, Suite 2950, 45 South Seventh Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota
55402

Pritzker / Ruohonen & Associates, P.A.
Fred Pritzker, 612-338-0202

Copyright Business Wire 2008