The FDA says cattle grazing near leafy green fields has been a reoccurring factor in recent outbreaks.
Apr 7th, 2021
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As part of ongoing efforts to combat foodborne illness, on April 6 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published a report on the investigation into the Fall 2020 outbreak of Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 illnesses linked to the consumption of leafy greens grown in the California Central Coast. The report describes findings from the investigation, as well as trends that are key to understanding leafy green outbreaks that are linked to the California Central Coast growing region, specifically encompassing the Salinas Valley and Santa Maria growing areas every fall since 2017.
Agriculture
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked growers to consider what adjacent land is being used for in order to mitigate the risks of foodborne illness, citing that foodborne illness outbreak investigations have consistently suggested that proximity to cattle has caused a recurring E. coli outbreak in leafy greens.
Tuesday’s request was part of a press release to announce that the FDA has published its investigation report into the Fall 2020 multi-state outbreak of Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC), which began from contaminated leafy greens grown in California. The outbreak was announced on Oct. 28, 2020, and caused 20 hospitalizations and 40 illnesses. Preliminary reports showed that the same strain of E. coli was found in cattle feces near one of the produce farms, suggesting that proximity to cattle was a contributing factor to the outbreak.