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Outbreak of E. coli Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce- new information

FDA names California romaine farm but still looking for addtional sources of e coli as CDC reports additional E. coli O157:H7 patients

December 13, 2018 from the FDA and Food Safety News:

The FDA has "identified a positive sample result for the outbreak strain in the sediment of a local irrigation reservoir used by a single farm owned and operated by Adam Bros. Farms in Santa Barbara County."
The contaminated "water from the reservoir on this single farm doesn’t fully explain what the common source of the contamination. We are continuing to investigate what commonalities there could be from multiple farms in the region that could explain this finding in the water, and potentially the ultimate source of the outbreak."
"As of Dec. 13, our investigation yielded records from five restaurants in four different states that have identified 11 different distributors, nine different growers, and eight different farms as potential sources of contaminated romaine lettuce. Currently, no single establishment is in common across the investigated supply chains. This indicates that although we have identified a positive sample from one farm to date, the outbreak may not be explained by a single farm, grower, harvester, or distributor."
The FDA feels "there is no longer a reason for consumers to avoid romaine lettuce from San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz and Ventura Counties, in California, provided it was harvested after Nov. 23."
"Romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Barbara Counties in California after Nov. 23 doesn’t appear to be related to the current outbreak. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine also doesn’t appear to be related to the current outbreak. There’s no reason for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine harvested from these sources."

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FDA Investigating Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Likely Linked to Romaine Lettuce Grown in California

November 28, 2018 from the FDA:

Preliminary traceback information indicates that ill people in several areas across the country were exposed to romaine lettuce harvested in California. Specifically, current evidence indicates this romaine was harvested in the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California.
The specific California counties FDA is including in this region are:

• Monterey
• San Benito
• San Luis Obispo
• Santa Barbara
• Santa Cruz
• Ventura

Additional counties may be added as the FDA traceback develops.
Romaine harvested from locations outside of the California regions identified by the traceback investigation does not appear to be related to the current outbreak.

November 26, 2018 from the FDA:

https://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm626330.htm

"Preliminary traceback information indicates that ill people in several areas across the country were exposed to romaine lettuce harvested in California. Specifically, current evidence indicates this romaine was harvested in the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. "
"Romaine harvested from locations outside of the California regions identified by the traceback investigation does not appear to be related to the current outbreak."
"There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine lettuce that is certain to have been harvested from areas outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. For example, romaine lettuce harvested from areas that include, but are not limited to the desert growing region near Yuma, the California desert growing region near Imperial County and Riverside County, the state of Florida, and Mexico, does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Additionally, there is no evidence hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine is related to the current outbreak."

The labeling will new identify the origin of the romaine based on harvest region, along with the date of harvest.

November 20, 2018 from the CDC:

CDC is advising that U.S. consumers not eat any romaine lettuce, and retailers and restaurants not serve or sell any, until we learn more about the outbreak. This investigation is ongoing and the advice will be updated as more information is available.

• Consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce in their home should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick.
  • This advice includes all types or uses of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.
  • If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.
  • Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine was stored. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.
• Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing romaine.
• Take action if you have symptoms of an E. coli infection:
  • Talk to your healthcare provider.
  • Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
  • Report your illness to the health department.
  • Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) results showed that the E. coli O157:H7 strain isolated from ill people in this outbreak is closely related genetically to the E. coli strain isolated from ill people in a 2017 outbreak linked to leafy greens in the United States and to romaine lettuce in Canada. The current outbreak is not related to a recent multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce. People in the spring outbreak were infected with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria with a different DNA fingerprint.

Statements from various kosher certified lettuce companies:

• Statement from Little Leaf Farms that is certified as kosher by the KVH:
  "In light of today’s Romaine recall, we’d like to assure you that ALL of our lettuce is completely clean and safe to eat. Food safety is our top priority & our growing process is a state of the art hydroponic greenhouse which results in a product that is completely safe to enjoy."
• Statement from Bodek Kosher that their produce is SAFE to eat:
• Statement from Pos'Tiv and Kosher Gardens: