Taco John's outbreak probe leads to California dairy farms
Taco John's outbreak probe leads to California dairy farms
WASHINGTON -- Another California grower appears to be the focus of the Taco John's E. coli outbreak as samples from two adjacent dairy farms matched the bacteria that sickened more than 80 people last year.
With the help of several state health agencies, investigators matched the DNA strain of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in ill restaurant patrons with two environmental samples gathered at dairy farms adjacent to lettuce-growing field in California's Central Valley. In December, state public health officials said the epidemiological evidence pointed to shredded lettuce as the most likely source for the E. coli contamination.
Eighty-one people became ill in November and December at Taco John's restaurants in Iowa and Minnesota. Twenty-six people were hospitalized. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration and California authorities are continuing to collect additional samples to see whether the dairy farm played a role in tainting the lettuce growing area. Using records from the lettuce processor, FDA was able to focus on a specific lettuce growing region. FDA has not been as lucky with the Taco Bell outbreak, although investigators are combing California farms for clues in that probe.
There appears to be no common denominator that caused the last three produce-associated E. coli outbreaks, said FDA's David Acheson, chief medical officer for the food safety center. "It looks like random, bad luck."
While FDA maintains that the leafy greens were most likely contaminated on the farm, it raises the question of how E. coli is surviving the sanitizing process at the plant.
"There's something during processing that's not taking care of the contamination," said FDA's David Acheson. E. coli does not wash off easily, he said, and a small amount -- perhaps 10 to 100 -- bugs can make you sick. "The industry's response must be multi-faceted from farm to distribution." In the wake of the outbreak, Brian Dixon, vice president of marketing for Taco John's International, said that his company dropped its supplier, Bix Produce Co., and instituted new sourcing requirements.
The tighter guidelines may end up shrinking the restaurant chain's potential suppliers, but safety is paramount, he said.
"In our discussions with franchisees, going forward, we will only approve local suppliers that meet our strict safety standards and that can trace production of produce to the source," said Mr. Dixon, whose company operates restaurants in 25 states. "That may indeed shrink some of our sources of supply."
The company said it would insist on the best technology for safe cleaning and inspection. "We are in discussions that would require sampling of irrigation and rain water," he said. "We are also talking about a 'hold-and-release' program that would allow produce to be inspected and confirmed safe prior to shipment."
The previous supplier was sourcing from California fields, but this is "not about California and not about that supplier. It is about comprehensive safety measures that we can collectively develop in the industry," said Mr. Dixon.
Restaurants will always be vulnerable, however, as companies cannot review every field and every detail of every production run, he added.
William Marler, a Seattle attorney who is representing 14 clients in the Taco John's outbreak, called on restaurants to tighten produce supplier guidelines. "It's time for restaurants to demand more stringent safety standards on the part of their fresh produce suppliers," said Mr. Marler. "Taco John's and companies like Taco Bell need to use their purchasing power as an influence for industry change. This could become a classic economics lesson in supply and demand."
FDA said that there was no indication lettuce currently on the market, including iceberg lettuce, was connected to the outbreak.
Dr. Acheson said that the FDA report on the spinach investigation is expected in February, though that schedule may slip, and that FDA hopes to hold public meetings on produce safety in March.
In the meantime, FDA is working with its lawyers to explore regulatory options to see what food regulators can do with existing legal authority and what other authority may be needed, said Dr. Acheson.
With the help of several state health agencies, investigators matched the DNA strain of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in ill restaurant patrons with two environmental samples gathered at dairy farms adjacent to lettuce-growing field in California's Central Valley. In December, state public health officials said the epidemiological evidence pointed to shredded lettuce as the most likely source for the E. coli contamination.
Eighty-one people became ill in November and December at Taco John's restaurants in Iowa and Minnesota. Twenty-six people were hospitalized. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration and California authorities are continuing to collect additional samples to see whether the dairy farm played a role in tainting the lettuce growing area. Using records from the lettuce processor, FDA was able to focus on a specific lettuce growing region. FDA has not been as lucky with the Taco Bell outbreak, although investigators are combing California farms for clues in that probe.
There appears to be no common denominator that caused the last three produce-associated E. coli outbreaks, said FDA's David Acheson, chief medical officer for the food safety center. "It looks like random, bad luck."
While FDA maintains that the leafy greens were most likely contaminated on the farm, it raises the question of how E. coli is surviving the sanitizing process at the plant.
"There's something during processing that's not taking care of the contamination," said FDA's David Acheson. E. coli does not wash off easily, he said, and a small amount -- perhaps 10 to 100 -- bugs can make you sick. "The industry's response must be multi-faceted from farm to distribution." In the wake of the outbreak, Brian Dixon, vice president of marketing for Taco John's International, said that his company dropped its supplier, Bix Produce Co., and instituted new sourcing requirements.
The tighter guidelines may end up shrinking the restaurant chain's potential suppliers, but safety is paramount, he said.
"In our discussions with franchisees, going forward, we will only approve local suppliers that meet our strict safety standards and that can trace production of produce to the source," said Mr. Dixon, whose company operates restaurants in 25 states. "That may indeed shrink some of our sources of supply."
The company said it would insist on the best technology for safe cleaning and inspection. "We are in discussions that would require sampling of irrigation and rain water," he said. "We are also talking about a 'hold-and-release' program that would allow produce to be inspected and confirmed safe prior to shipment."
The previous supplier was sourcing from California fields, but this is "not about California and not about that supplier. It is about comprehensive safety measures that we can collectively develop in the industry," said Mr. Dixon.
Restaurants will always be vulnerable, however, as companies cannot review every field and every detail of every production run, he added.
William Marler, a Seattle attorney who is representing 14 clients in the Taco John's outbreak, called on restaurants to tighten produce supplier guidelines. "It's time for restaurants to demand more stringent safety standards on the part of their fresh produce suppliers," said Mr. Marler. "Taco John's and companies like Taco Bell need to use their purchasing power as an influence for industry change. This could become a classic economics lesson in supply and demand."
FDA said that there was no indication lettuce currently on the market, including iceberg lettuce, was connected to the outbreak.
Dr. Acheson said that the FDA report on the spinach investigation is expected in February, though that schedule may slip, and that FDA hopes to hold public meetings on produce safety in March.
In the meantime, FDA is working with its lawyers to explore regulatory options to see what food regulators can do with existing legal authority and what other authority may be needed, said Dr. Acheson.
