FDA updated its recommendation on Romaine lettuce - "If romaine lettuce does have this labeling information, we advise avoiding any product from the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. Romaine lettuce from outside those regions need not be avoided. Romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine also does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine harvested from these sources."
There are now 43 cases with 16 hospitalizations across 12 states.
FDA News Release
https://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm626330.htm
FDA Investigating Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Likely Linked to Romaine Lettuce Grown in California
Update: November 26, 2018
The FDA, along with CDC, state and local agencies, is investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses likely linked to romaine lettuce grown in California this fall. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency are also coordinating with U.S. agencies as they investigate a similar outbreak in Canada.
The FDA has been conducting a traceback investigation, reviewing shipping records and invoices to trace the supply of romaine from the place where ill people were exposed to the place where that romaine was grown.
Preliminary traceback information indicates that ill people in several areas across the country were exposed to romaine lettuce harvested in California. Specifically, current evidence indicates this romaine was harvested in the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California.
Romaine harvested from locations outside of the California regions identified by the traceback investigation does not appear to be related to the current outbreak.
There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine lettuce that is certain to have been harvested from areas outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. For example, romaine lettuce harvested from areas that include, but are not limited to the desert growing region near Yuma, the California desert growing region near Imperial County and Riverside County, the state of Florida, and Mexico, does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Additionally, there is no evidence hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine is related to the current outbreak.
During this new stage of the investigation, it is vital that consumers and retailers have an easy way to identify romaine lettuce by both harvest date and harvest location. Labeling with this information on each bag of romaine or signage in stores where labels are not an option would easily differentiate for consumers romaine from unaffected growing regions.
Recommendation:
Based on discussions with producers and distributors, romaine lettuce entering the market will now be labeled with a harvest location and a harvest date or labeled as being hydroponically- or greenhouse-grown. If it does not have this information, you should not eat or use it.
If romaine lettuce does have this labeling information, we advise avoiding any product from the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. Romaine lettuce from outside those regions need not be avoided.
Romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine also does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine harvested from these sources.
Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 43
Hospitalizations: 16
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: October 31, 2018
States with Cases: CA (11), CT (1), IL (2), MA (2), MD (1), MI (7), NH (2), NJ (9), NY (5), OH (1), RI (1), WI (1)
Produce News
http://www.theproducenews.com/the-produce-news-today-s-headlines/25497-fda-clears-romaine-sales-from-non-affected-regions
FDA clears Romaine sales from non-affected regions
by John Groh | November 26, 2018
The recent moratorium on Romaine lettuce sales was set to be eased Nov. 26 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which is in the process of issuing new guidance for the industry following an outbreak of E. coli that has been attributed to Romaine lettuce.
In a Nov. 26 conference call, FDA said it would allow shipments and sales of Romaine lettuce harvested on or after Nov. 23 from areas outside the central coast growing regions of Central and Northern California. The permitted areas include the Imperial Valley and other desert growing regions in California, as well as Yuma, AZ, Florida and Mexico. Hydroponic and greenhouse-grown Romaine from any region also may be sold.
To be compliant with the new guidance, packages of Romaine lettuce will need to include information about the date of harvest and the growing region, and retailers must include signage to assure customers that the lettuce was sourced from areas outside the recall zones.
With regard to Romaine used in foodservice applications, the restaurant or other establishment is considered the end-user and must verify the product was sourced from approved areas but need not include signage, according to FDA.
To date, there have been 43 confirmed illnesses in 12 states, with 16 people hospitalized and no deaths, according to FDA. Twenty-five of those experiencing symptoms were interviewed, and 22 reported having eaten Romaine lettuce in the days leading up to the onset of their illness.
FDA worked with industry over the long Thanksgiving weekend to devise this latest guidance and the plan to include harvest dates and sources on the packaging. FDA plans to increase its communications efforts on this matter and scheduled a call the afternoon of Nov. 26 with state departments of agriculture to advise of the new guidance. It also will work with industry on educating the general public about the updated guidance.
The Packer
https://www.thepacker.com/article/romaine-industry-adopts-new-labels-product-return-stores
Romaine industry adopts new labels, product to return to stores
Chris Koger
November 26, 2018 02:20 PM
UPDATED) The United Fresh Produce Association is reporting that federal health agencies are lifting an advisory on consumers to avoid romaine lettuce, after grower-shippers agreed to new voluntary labeling standards that will include where the lettuce is grown.
The agreement, negotiated by romaine grower-shippers and processors, allows the Food and Drug Administration to let consumers know that romaine, is not part of the E. coli outbreak that led to 32 illnesses in the U.S. and 22 in Canada.
“A number of produce associations also have agreed to support this initiative and are recommending that all industry members throughout the supply chain follow this same labeling program," according to United Fresh, in an e-mail alert to members Nov. 26.
While the labels are currently voluntary, United Fresh noted FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s tweets on Nov. 23 suggest the agency expects the labels will be the “new normal.” The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will direct consumers to look for the labels in future outbreaks traced to determine where the lettuce was grown.
According to United Fresh, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plan to announce they’re lifting the romaine advisory later Nov. 26.
The CDC and FDA on Nov. 20 virtually banned romaine when they announced the outbreak, urging growers, shippers and processors to stop shipping all romaine products, and consumers to throw away any they might have.
United Fresh has also compiled a list of questions and answers relating to the new labels.
According to that document, the FDA will be announcing the growing regions it has cleared that are not part of the outbreak.
The industry and FDA have agreed to work together to improve tracking romaine through the supply chain, according to the United Fresh alert. The groups that worked on the labeling agreement also include:
•Produce Marketing Association;
•Western Growers;
•Arizona and California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements;
•Grower-Shipper Association of Central California;
•Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association;
•Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association; and
•Yuma Safe Produce Council.
“Our associations are committed to working with FDA in a new effort with experts from within and outside the industry, together with government, to implement improved procedures that enhance the speed and accuracy of investigations,” according to United Fresh. “Moving forward, our efforts to enhance strong traceability systems will be most beneficial for consumers only if coupled with expert epidemiological methodology, accelerated investigations with sufficient resources, and government-industry expert collaboration that allow us all to pinpoint the source of contaminated product resulting in more targeted recalls."
Post-purge return
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb appeared on Fox News’ “The Daily Briefing” Nov. 26 to talk with host Dana Perino about a variety of issues, including the E. coli outbreak linked to romaine.
“I understand the impact this has not just on consumers but growers, but we had clear evidence that there was an outbreak and that product that was contaminated was still in the marketplace, so it was important to purge the market of that produce —"
“Has the market been purged now?” Perino asked.
“We think it’s been done now, so we’re going to put out a statement a little later today saying that we think we’ve isolated the problem to produce grown in the coastal regions of California, of Central and Northern California, and that produce that’s grown in other parts of the country … it’s probably safe to put back into commerce now.
“So what we wanted to do was purge the market of the produce that was probably contaminated, which has now been isolated, we think, to California, and now stores can start restocking with produce that’s being harvested from Florida or North Carolina or other parts of the country,” Gottlieb said.
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