Green onions test negative for E. coli
Green onions test negative for E. coli
During a conference call Monday evening, Dec. 11 with produce associations, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration stated that it was unable to confirm the preliminary presumptive positive test results for E. coli O157:H7 that were taken from samples obtained from Taco Bell.
According to an announcement by the Produce Marketing Association, all samples tested by FDA, including those tested by Taco Bell's independent laboratory, were negative for the presence of the pathogen.
Last week, Taco Bell voluntarily removed green onions from its 5,800 restaurants nationwide following presumptive positive test results for E. coli O157:H7 taken from three samples of green onions.
In its remarks, FDA reinforced its position that no specific food has been identified yet as the cause of the current outbreak. The agency continues to focus its investigation on all food ingredients.
To date, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention confirmed that 64 people with illness associated with the E. coli outbreak linked to Taco Bell restaurants have been identified from five states: New Jersey (28), New York (22), Pennsylvania (11), Delaware (two) and South Carolina (one). The patient from South Carolina ate at a Taco Bell restaurant in Pennsylvania. Other cases of illness are under investigation by state public health officials.
Fifty individuals have been hospitalized, with eight cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. No deaths have been linked to the current outbreak.
Based on data it has compiled, CDC believes the outbreak lasted from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2. The agency has not seen any new illnesses over the past several days and, while it believes the outbreak to be over, it will continue to monitor the situation.
According to an announcement by the Produce Marketing Association, all samples tested by FDA, including those tested by Taco Bell's independent laboratory, were negative for the presence of the pathogen.
Last week, Taco Bell voluntarily removed green onions from its 5,800 restaurants nationwide following presumptive positive test results for E. coli O157:H7 taken from three samples of green onions.
In its remarks, FDA reinforced its position that no specific food has been identified yet as the cause of the current outbreak. The agency continues to focus its investigation on all food ingredients.
To date, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention confirmed that 64 people with illness associated with the E. coli outbreak linked to Taco Bell restaurants have been identified from five states: New Jersey (28), New York (22), Pennsylvania (11), Delaware (two) and South Carolina (one). The patient from South Carolina ate at a Taco Bell restaurant in Pennsylvania. Other cases of illness are under investigation by state public health officials.
Fifty individuals have been hospitalized, with eight cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. No deaths have been linked to the current outbreak.
Based on data it has compiled, CDC believes the outbreak lasted from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2. The agency has not seen any new illnesses over the past several days and, while it believes the outbreak to be over, it will continue to monitor the situation.
