Yuma Ag & You: E. coli outbreak sends shockwaves

E. coli 0157:H7, a name that sends shockwaves throughout the leafy green growers world. For weeks now, news articles have continued to start with the statement "an E coli outbreak tied to Yuma?"

Let's look at the timeline for the outbreak as put out by the Food and Drug Administration as well as the Centers for Disease Control. The head lettuce, the only romaine involved that could be directly traced to the local farm, was harvested during the weeks of March 5-16, 2018. Both the CDC and the FDA agree that the shelf life of the product is 21 days, making the last day the products should have been in the market April 6.

The romaine harvested was whole heads, not any type of processed product. If the lettuce was trucked to Alaska, where the eight persons became ill, it would take roughly 62 hours. Almost three days from the harvest date. The grower has no control over a harvested product and contamination can take place in harvesting, packing, cooling, shipping, distribution and storage.

Yuma growers invented and have kept improving on food safety for six decades. In 2007 they established the Leafy Green Marketing Association to develop food safety protocols. This organization is tireless and relentless in working with growers, harvesters, processors and shippers to make sure the products produced in the fields of Yuma County are the highest quality and safest for the consumer.

In small print, the FDA report stated "All of the whole head lettuce in question from a Yuma grower was harvested during March 5-16 and is past its 21 day shelf life. Because the growing season in the Yuma region is at its end, the remainder of illnesses in this outbreak ARE NOT linked to whole head romaine from the Yuma grower."

Reports starting April 13 stated that all the people who became ill had eaten a salad in a restaurant, with romaine lettuce the only common ingredient. During the trace back of the product, there was no common grower, supplier, distributor or brand has been identified, but preliminary information indicates that the chopped romaine lettuce came from Yuma.

The latest romaine article I've seen was May 10, 34 days after the product reached its 21-day shelf life expiration date.

The FDA reported on May 2 that the romaine lettuce that ill people ate was likely grown or originated from the winter growing areas in or around the Yuma region. The region generally supplies romaine lettuce to the U.S. during November to March each year. While the source of the head lettuce was determined, when and how the contamination may have occurred in the growing, harvesting, packaging and distribution chain before reaching Alaska is unclear.

It is devastating that people became ill from eating lettuce tainted with E. coli. It is frustrating that there are no real facts from either FDA or the CDC that tie all the loose ends of the incident together. This was a terrible occurrence for the fresh vegetable growers who try so hard to provide the highest quality produce to consumers.

Yuma County's produce industry will survive this trial and be stronger for it. Hopefully sooner, rather than later the true story of who, what, when, where and how the romaine contamination occurred will come out.