U.S. Says E. coli Outbreak is “Likely” Leafy Greens While Canada Declares Outbreak Over
Yesterday, the Public Health Agency of Canada declared that the recent Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to romaine lettuce appears to be over. Consumers there are no longer being advised to avoid eating romaine lettuce. However, an eerily similar outbreak in the U.S. is still being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The outbreak has now been identified in 15 states.
While the outbreak does appear to be associated with leafy greens, according to CDC and FDA statements released yesterday, U.S. health officials have not confirmed a specific type, nor have any food recalls been issued. Because leafy greens tend to have a short shelf life--and because the last known illness related to the outbreak occurred last month--it is likely that the contaminated food that’s causing illness is no longer available in retail stores or foodservice establishments.