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Lettuce and Spinach

Lettuce and Spinach. Over 23 E. coli outbreaks since 1995 Hundreds of reported illnesses Several deaths Fresh or fresh-cut lettuce or spinach 9 outbreaks traced back to produce from Salinas, California. 2006 Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak. Utah - June 2006

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Lettuce and Spinach

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  1. Lettuce and Spinach Over 23 E. coli outbreaks since 1995 Hundreds of reported illnesses Several deaths Fresh or fresh-cut lettuce or spinach 9 outbreaks traced back to produce from Salinas, California

  2. 2006 Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak Utah - June 2006 E. coli O21:H19 – only 3 culture-positive cases, although over 50 cases probable 3 HUS, 2 adult women,1 with 30 days, the other with 4 months of dialysis Likely lettuce from California

  3. Dole and Natural Selections – Fall 2006 205 persons infected with outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 from 26 states. 102 (51%) hospitalized 31 (16%) developed hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) Three confirmed deaths – likely five

  4. Dole and Natural Selections – Fall 2006 E. coli O157:H7 Isolated from 16 packages of DOLE spinach “DNA fingerprints” of all 16 match the outbreak strain Supplied by patients living in 10 states Eleven packages with lot codes consistent with a single manufacturing facility on a particular day

  5. Taco E. coli Litigation Status Multiple lawsuits filed in Courts in a 5 States Taco Bell and Ready-Pac Taco John’s and Bix Lettuce supplier to Bix - Outbreak PFGE found on nearby Farm

  6. Aunt Mid’s E. coli Lettuce • At Least 40 cases in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Canada • Traceback looking at Salinas, Michigan, and California Central Valley

  7. What Could Irradiation Prevent?

  8. FDA Final Rule (73 FR 49593) • Fresh Iceberg lettuce and Spinach – “reduce the level of potentially dangerous microbial pathogens….The FDA has assessed the safety … and has concluded that it will not adversely affect the safety of these products.” • However, “Irradiation is voluntary.”

  9. Food Irradiation from a Legal Perspective • Strict Liability – If the food has a pathogen and it makes someone ill – you pay! • So, why Irradiate? • Reduce risk of illnesses and lawsuits • Susceptible Populations – the very young and elderly – schools and nursing homes • Punitive Damages – failure to use may well“constitute a conscious disregard of a known risk”

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