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Final Report on the Taco John's E. coli Outbreak

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

The California Food Emergency Response Team (CalFERT) and the FDA have issued a final report of their investigation of the Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 outbreak associated with iceberg lettuce served at Taco John’s restaurants in Iowa and Minnesota. 

The final report suggests that the source of the outbreak may have been iceberg lettuce grown on Wegis Ranch in Buttonwillow, California. After initial traceback procedures led to Wegis Ranch, CalFERT began an environmental investigation of Wegis Ranch. 

CalFERT observed “2 dairy farms [Maya Dairy and West Star North Dairy] in close proximity to Wegis Ranch and its suspect lettuce growing fields” (page 12). The CalFERT team also “observed that the irrigation pipes from the Wegis Ranch equipment storage yard were stored approximately 50 feet from the cattle biosolids [composting manure] from West Star North Dairy” (page 15). Animal fecal material around the irrigation area was also observed.

In the course of the investigation, CalFERT learned that Wegis Ranch’s irrigation system was connected to both dairies and that Wegis Ranch sometimes irrigated with a blend of the dairies’ discharged wastewater and other water sources. Upon learning this, CalFert expanded its environmental investigation “to encompass a thorough assessment of the vicinity’s water distribution system and conveyances as a whole” (page 21).

When CalFERT assessed Wegis Ranch’s irrigation system, they made a “key observation”—“the farm irrigation system that utilized dairy runoff water did not have any backflow prevention devices to ensure manure-blended irrigation water did not contaminate the SWSD water system,” which was used to irrigate lettuce fields (page 23).

The following are details regarding the samples taken from the Buttonwillow area (Wegis Ranch, Maya Dairy and West Star North Dairy) from page 38 of the final report:

• Out of the 194 samples collected at the Buttonwillow location, 32 (16.5%) were positive for E. coli O157:H7.
• Of the 32 E. coli O157:H7 positive samples, ten (31%) were found to genetically match the Taco John’s outbreak strain.
• For of the ten specimens (that genetically matched the outbreak strain) were gathered at the two dairies, and the remaining six were collected at the Wegis Ranch.

We have recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of a victim of the Taco John’s E. coli outbreak that was the subject of the CalFERT investigation.  According to Elliot Olsen, lead attorney on the case, “These illnesses represent yet another breakdown in a system which seems incapable of protecting the public from contaminated food.  We believe there are other victims out there who have not yet come forward.”

To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.  You may also contact Elliot Olsen via email.

To read the full report, please click here.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on February 27, 2008 (boomark / email).