I recall sitting in the office one day in the fall of 2018 when I received a call from a reporter who informed me that there had been a further outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 linked to romaine lettuce. After an initial response of “oh, no,” the reporter asked why do we continue to have outbreaks linked to lettuce?
Here we explore foodborne illness outbreak investigations related to coconuts, highlight the challenges experienced, and share the food safety lessons learned.
No trend has been reported as being more impactful than the increase in the amount of analytical testing being conducted—especially the increase in testing for microorganisms.
Food companies and regulators have become increasingly vigilant for environmental pathogens in manufacturing facilities, with problems triggering swab-a-thons and even recalls.