FDA says outbreak over
FDA says outbreak over
WASHINGTON -- The E. coli outbreak that has sickened 71 people on the East Coast is over and it appears that the suspected lettuce is no longer being served, according to the Food & Drug Administration.
This is good news for Taco Bell, which has been running ads to lure customers back to the embattled fast-food chain. "We are pleased this outbreak is over, and we look forward to serving our customers at all our restaurants," said Greg Creed, president of Taco Bell Corp.
Besides dropping its produce supplier for restaurants located in the four states that reported illnesses, Taco Bell said it directed all suppliers to double the amount of testing on all ingredients served at its restaurants. Taco Bell has been getting called to task in recent days for originally naming green onions as the cause of the outbreak when it released the results of preliminary tests.
Growers are anxiously awaiting news on the origin of the suspected lettuce, but today (Dec. 15) there was little information available on FDA's traceback investigation.
Some members of Congress are closely watching the Taco Bell outbreak. Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), whose district represents lettuce growers, cautioned that FDA has not linked the chopped lettuce to a specific farm or area of the country.
"I have a close working relationship with the lettuce industry in the Salinas Valley, and I know they will go above and beyond the call to resolve the problem once the source of any contamination is identified, as they continue to do regarding the unrelated outbreak in bagged spinach earlier this year," he said. Rep. Farr has spoken with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who is expected to chair the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, about holding a hearing on food safety in January.
In the meantime, the California Department of Food & Agriculture announced Dec. 13 the date of the first public meeting on the proposed California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement, which was the produce industry's response to this fall's spinach outbreak.
The Jan. 12, 2007, meeting is slated to be held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.
The California program would license signatory handlers to use a mark that would certify the handling, shipment and sale of leafy green products in accordance with best practices. Products purchased without verified best practices and traceback systems would be considered an unfair trade practice.
In a Dec. 12 letter to three federal agencies, five senators called for a new task force on the recent E. coli outbreaks and a report to Congress on potential changes in law and regulation that would prevent future illnesses.
"We strongly acknowledge that the present state of outbreaks is unacceptable, and that industry, academia and government must work together to further minimize risks," said Robert Guenther, United Fresh Produce Association's senior vice president for public policy. "But at a time when it feels like our entire industry is reeling, many members of Congress are surprised to realize that only six of the top 40 most consumed fresh fruits and vegetables have been associated this year with any food safety risks."
This is good news for Taco Bell, which has been running ads to lure customers back to the embattled fast-food chain. "We are pleased this outbreak is over, and we look forward to serving our customers at all our restaurants," said Greg Creed, president of Taco Bell Corp.
Besides dropping its produce supplier for restaurants located in the four states that reported illnesses, Taco Bell said it directed all suppliers to double the amount of testing on all ingredients served at its restaurants. Taco Bell has been getting called to task in recent days for originally naming green onions as the cause of the outbreak when it released the results of preliminary tests.
Growers are anxiously awaiting news on the origin of the suspected lettuce, but today (Dec. 15) there was little information available on FDA's traceback investigation.
Some members of Congress are closely watching the Taco Bell outbreak. Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), whose district represents lettuce growers, cautioned that FDA has not linked the chopped lettuce to a specific farm or area of the country.
"I have a close working relationship with the lettuce industry in the Salinas Valley, and I know they will go above and beyond the call to resolve the problem once the source of any contamination is identified, as they continue to do regarding the unrelated outbreak in bagged spinach earlier this year," he said. Rep. Farr has spoken with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who is expected to chair the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, about holding a hearing on food safety in January.
In the meantime, the California Department of Food & Agriculture announced Dec. 13 the date of the first public meeting on the proposed California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement, which was the produce industry's response to this fall's spinach outbreak.
The Jan. 12, 2007, meeting is slated to be held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.
The California program would license signatory handlers to use a mark that would certify the handling, shipment and sale of leafy green products in accordance with best practices. Products purchased without verified best practices and traceback systems would be considered an unfair trade practice.
In a Dec. 12 letter to three federal agencies, five senators called for a new task force on the recent E. coli outbreaks and a report to Congress on potential changes in law and regulation that would prevent future illnesses.
"We strongly acknowledge that the present state of outbreaks is unacceptable, and that industry, academia and government must work together to further minimize risks," said Robert Guenther, United Fresh Produce Association's senior vice president for public policy. "But at a time when it feels like our entire industry is reeling, many members of Congress are surprised to realize that only six of the top 40 most consumed fresh fruits and vegetables have been associated this year with any food safety risks."
