A Center for Produce Safety-funded study is working to characterize the physiological changes that occur in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC) bacteria that is present on romaine lettuce during postharvest cooling and refrigerated transport to processors, which could affect the pathogen’s virulence and detectability characteristics. The end goal of the research is to develop an easily accessible online tool for industry that identifies practices to mitigate the risks of STEC transmission via romaine lettuce.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently published two reports—one on control measures for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in meat and dairy products, and another reviewing Listeria monocytogenes attribution, characterization, and monitoring in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk with Michael (Mike) R. Taylor about the regulatory changes that have occurred since the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak of 1992–1993. He served as Administrator of UDSA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) during a time of great transformation within the agency, and is currently a board member for Stop Foodborne Illness. Mike talks about how his previous work at FDA informed his work at USDA; what it was like to negotiate with industry on new Salmonella and E. coli standards, as well as HACCP regulations; the evolution of food safety culture and the concept of taking accountability for prevention; and the personal impact of the stories of foodborne illness outbreak victims.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with prominent foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler about the deadly 1993 E. coli outbreak in ground beef served by Jack in the Box restaurants along the U.S. West Coast. Marler defended Brianne Kiner, the most seriously injured survivor of the outbreak, as well as hundreds of other victims in a class-action lawsuit. The story of this outbreak—which led to regulatory changes by USDA to declare E. coli an illegal adulterant in ground beef—and its ensuing legal and industry battles, is told in the book Poisoned by author Jeff Benedict. As the central figure in Benedict's book, Marler tells his story of the 1993 outbreak, as well as his outlook on the future of food safety legislation in the U.S.
A study has demonstrated the economic impacts of foodborne illness outbreaks on supply chains by observing the damages caused by the 2018 Escherichia coli outbreak that was linked to romaine lettuce grown in California.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will conduct targeted sampling of leafy greens as part of the Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan (LGAP). The agency also provided updates on the progress of LGAP and a summary report of a 2021 sampling assignment.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has summarized its investigations of possible multistate outbreaks caused by Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and Listeria monocytogenes in 2017–2020.
Due to concerns about Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination, The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) has implemented temporary Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) license conditions for romaine lettuce imports from the U.S., specifically California’s Salinas Valley.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS) recently published a Research Brief that highlights two recent food safety studies related to Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7.
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