STUDY TO EXPLORE HOW LEAFY GREENS IN YUMA GROWING REGION ARE GETTING CONTAMINATED WITH PATHOGENS

The FDA, in partnership with the Yuma, AZ leafy greens industry and other groups started a multi-year study on environmental factors, impacting the risk of produce becoming contaminated in the Yuma growing region. As a result of the spring 2018 E. coli outbreak from romaine lettuce that killed five people and made 210 others sick, the study was initiated. An Environmental Assessment of the Yuma growing region narrowed the scope of the outbreak, according to an FDA release, but questions remain, including the specific E. coli source, how it was distributed and potential reservoirs for the outbreak strain. The study will involve sampling surface water, canal sediment, dust, and scat, according to the release. “The findings from this study will contribute new knowledge on how various environmental factors may influence bacterial persistence and distribution in this region, and how those factors may impact the risk of this commodity becoming contaminated,” according to the release. “Results from this collaboration will lead to improved practices to prevent or mitigate food safety risks, and ultimately enhance the safety of produce grown in the region. From 2009 to 2017, The FDA and Center for Disease Control and Prevention have traced 28 foodborne outbreaks to Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli from leafy greens, according to the release. @ https://www.thepacker.com/article/fda-industry-study-pathogens-yuma-growing-region?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTWpjM1lUUTVOams1TXpVNCIsInQiOiJ2aHpjT0NVeWJMdDlEUEw4NVV0TGlOb0dOS25kR29MR0xiSzVBcUZJeVd3YndJZnRyXC9WZ0VpOFpQWGlOVkgrOUpZQ3RjSk1RdnhnVE9aejYwaE9EMkNGVXNpNXNqdTRpRlFXZHRPakpieG5BamxMaVk5dnlIWTZ5Y2hBVGxkeG4ifQ%3D%3D