Personal Injury Law

E. coli 0143:H34 Found in Freshway Romaine Lettuce in Ohio - FDA Still Refuses to Name Farm

By E. coli Attorney

The Columbus Dispatch reports that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that the strain of bacteria was Escherichia coli 0143:H34.  The E. coli in the bag of lettuce tested in Ohio hasn't been linked to any known food-borne illness here or elsewhere, but it could sicken people. For some food-safety advocates, the finding highlights the ubiquitous nature of contamination and builds the case to expedite reforms to improve the cleanliness of the nation's food supply.  The second type of E. coli was found in shredded lettuce from food-processor Freshway Foods in Sidney, Ohio. Another sample from the same company proved key to linking a multistate outbreak of E. coli 0145 infection to romaine lettuce and eventually back to a farm in Arizona where the lettuce was grown.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials have said they think the contamination started at the farm, but they have refused to name the farm as they continue to look for the root cause of the outbreak.

As I said the other day, I continue to get information on who "The Yuma Farm" is.  Some of the information may well be incorrect.  Interestingly, during those discussions, I learned that there is also a lettuce Salmonella outbreak in the "upper-Midwest," that appears linked to industry leader, Fresh Express.  It is interesting that the Health Department and FDA remain silent on this one too.

Full post as published by Marler Blog on May 20, 2010 (boomark / email).