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Jan 2007
Volume 5, Number 1
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Happy New Year!
Understanding E. COLI
In 2006, there were two major outbreaks of E. Coli - related foodborne illness. The first was from spinach, and the second was originally attributed to green onions, then ultimately traced to lettuce, served at Taco Bell and Taco John's restaurants. The impact of E. Coli outbreaks is massive, and they affect the entire produce industry. In addition, the responsibility that foodservice operators have to serve safe food to the public adds to the severity of the concerns from E. Coli.
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What is E. Coli?
E. Coli is an abbreviation for the Latin Escherichia coli. It is a species of bacteria that lives in the lower intestines of mammals, including humans. It was discovered by Theodor Escherich and was named after him (the Latin coli translates to "of the colon"). In general, E. Coli bacteria are beneficial and necessary to good health.
However, there are hundreds of strains of E. Coli which are harmful, including the widely known O157:H7 strain, which caused both outbreaks of illness in 2006. While new strains of E. Coli are found all the time due to natural biological development, E. Coli O157:H7 is a particularly virulent one, and has led to serious illness and death.
E. Coli O157:H7 gets its identification from particular characteristics of the strain. In addition, individual strains have "fingerprints," so that contaminated food can be traced back to the source. This strain of E. Coli is a leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., causing an estimated 73,000 causes of infection each year. The infections are generally not serious; most people will have diarrhea for 3-5 days before the infection resolves itself naturally. However, there will be an estimated 2,200 people hospitalized, and 60 fatalities, from E. Coli O157:H7 infections annually. Serious complications from infection can include kidney failure. Additionally, some over-the-counter antidiarrheal medications can cause kidney complications in the case of diarrhea due to E. Coli infection, leading to further complications and misdiagnosis.
E. Coli O157:H7 is most commonly transmitted by eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. It is also found in produce, as the 2006 outbreaks showed. In less frequent examples, people have become infected by drinking unpasteurized milk, swimming in or drinking contaminated water, and through person-to-person contact.
This strain of E. Coli was first identified in the 1980's. Technology had advanced to allow scientists to identify more specific strains of E. Coli bacteria, and to trace their origins to different sources. At that time, the growth in "factory farming" of cattle fed a grain-rich diet, was identified as a potential cause of the growth in this strain. Grain is a nutrient-dense, efficient way to feed cattle. However, by raising the acidity in the stomach, it creates an environment in which the O157:H7 strain thrives. Cattle that forage have much lower incidence of the O157:H7 strain.
Cattle are the source of the bacteria entering the food chain from its two most common sources - ground beef, and produce. During the slaughtering process, the bacteria from cattle carrying the O157:H7 strain will enter the food supply. Unless the number of cattle that have the strain are reduced, it is difficult to prevent this contamination from occurring.
The impact on produce generally comes from contaminated water, and fecal contamination in the fields. With the high incidence of O157:H7 infection in cattle, fecal contamination of the water supply (both directly, and sourced for irrigation), and direct fecal contamination of fields, is possible. The strain can also pass to wild animals, which can have easier access to produce fields.
About the outbreaks
Produce is a particularly challenging category in which to prevent foodborne illness. Since large quantities of produce are intended for raw consumption - in salads, as garnishes, or accompaniments - there is no "kill" step where the bacteria would be heated beyond their ability to survive.
The first outbreak of E. Coli O157:H7 started in September, 2006, and was traced to contaminated spinach. This outbreak led to 199 infections, 31 cases of kidney failure, and 3 deaths. The "fingerprint" of this individual strain was traced to a spinach field in California's Salinas Valley. The contamination was caused by fecal contamination from a nearby cattle ranch, and also from wild pigs that roamed through the spinach field.
The second outbreak was initially traced to contaminated green onions, and ultimately traced to lettuce. The initial infections were linked to a Taco Bell restaurant in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Subsequent infections were linked to a Taco John's restaurant in Cedar Falls, Iowa. So far, 99 total infections have been confirmed as a result of this outbreak. The initial supply of green onions from Ready Pac in California tested positive for some strains of E. Coli, but not for the strain that was causing the infection. Both restaurant chains have switched their suppliers of lettuce in an effort to eliminate the contaminants in their food supply.
Preventive Measures
Most of the focus on E. Coli O157:H7 has been on ground beef, since this is the most common source of the bacteria. Contaminated ground beef is the most frequent source of E. Coli O157:H7 infections. It is completely preventable by thorough cooking - if contaminated ground beef is cooked to an internal temperature above 160°F, the bacteria will be killed before a person can be infected.
E. Coli bacteria can be killed by simple boiling or pasteurization. They do not require the more rigorous sterilization procedures that are necessary to kill spore-producing bacteria or norovirus. Norovirus is most commonly associated with the illnesses on cruise ships, and in a recent outbreak of disease at an Olive Garden restaurant in Indiana.
Thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables generally prevents E. Coli infections; cooking them in either boiling water, or heating to temperatures above 160°F will kill the bacteria. The only produce where washing has not been shown to be beneficial is alfalfa sprouts. Since these are not usually cooked, children and elderly people, as well as those susceptible to disease, may want to avoid alfalfa sprouts until new methods to prevent contamination are fully investigated and tested.
As with all food preparation, proper and frequent handwashing, and the prevention of cross-contamination between raw foods and produce, will also reduce the likelihood of E. Coli contamination.
Next Steps
Produce-related outbreaks of foodborne illness have almost doubled in the last five years. While ground beef is still the most likely product to have E. Coli contamination, produce is now the leading source of the sickness. Even in the wake of the spinach and green onion/lettuce outbreaks, it is unclear what changes, if any, will be made to food safety standards.
E. Coli is not the only bacteria of concern. Another broad outbreak this fall was from fresh tomatoes which carried salmonella. Like E. Coli, salmonella contamination is preventable through proper handling and thorough cleaning of produce. Most industry growers and packers believe in this self-regulation, combined with a sensible level of oversight from the USDA and FDA. An issue is the USDA (for meat and dairy products) and the FDA (for fruits and vegetables) only have jurisdiction at the processing plant, not at the farm. Plus, only 25-30% of the food processing plants in the U.S. are inspected annually, due to manpower constraints at the agencies.
At the time of the second outbreak, the PMA issued a statement affirming its commitment to scientific research, revising standards when new evidence becomes available, and to generally protect food safety and the public health.
Proposals have been developed to more frequently and thoroughly inspect both processing plants and farms. Some buyers hire independent auditors to conduct tests at plants and farms. The lack of consistent guidelines and information sharing hampers the efficiency of these measures to protect the safety of the food supply. Largely as a result of the concerns about spinach and lettuce, guidelines are being developed by the growers and packers of these products, and simultaneously by the Food Marketing Institute and the National Restaurant Association. Ultimately, the sensible application of these guidelines will improve the safety and security of the food supply.
Sources: Center For Disease Control (www.cdc.gov), Center for Science in the Public Interest, USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (www.fsis.usda.gov), CNN (www.cnn.com), The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com), Produce Marketing Association (www.pma.com), Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org)
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Broccoli
At present, broccoli supplies are low and prices have risen. It looks to remain this way until the weather warms up, although labor will still be an issue.
Very cold weather right now in the western Arizona growing areas is leading to a variety of harvest and quality problems. The cold weather not only causes visual blemishes on the product, but it delays the harvest. This is because you have to wait until later in the morning to harvest, so as not to further damage the broccoli.
Broccoli is not affected by frost as much as lettuce and other leafy produce. The crown of the broccoli is somewhat protected by the leaves, which become much more damaged than the crowns themselves.
Along with the unseasonably cold weather, we see labor shortages that are worse than last season. Continual issues along the border, the lack of an exchange worker program, and concerns among the workers are muddling the labor situation in the near term. The situation may improve by the middle of January.
For more information, please call your CSR or Jeb Johnson.
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Rail Information
Railroad Fuel Surcharges for January
The UPRR fuel surcharge for January 2007 will be 13%.
There was no increase from December.
Truck Supply Update
Truck supply was vastly improved in December 2006 versus December of previous years. Truck supply will be tight between Dec 26th - Jan 8th, since carriers will be off of their normal transit routines due to the holidays. Truck supply will improve mid-January, and should become plentiful for the entire month of February.
If you have any questions, please contact your customer service representative or Chris Doore-Taylor.
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Each month in the E-News, we will share insights into the activities of the Kingston Quality Assurance team as they visit growers, packers, and distributors. We hope this will help give you more information on our commitment to food safety and security. This month's report is from Cindi Thompson, based on a recent field visit to a packing facility.
Food Safety
In a recent visit to a food packaging facility, there was a single entrance door. When I opened the door, I was greeted by a security guard behind a glass partition. Using an intercom, he asked me to provide my name and the reason for my visit. I identified myself and Kingston Associates, showed my Kingston identification badge, and explained that I was at the facility to take quality samples.
The security guard asked me to sign the visitor log, and provided a visitor badge which had to be displayed at all times while I was in the facility. He asked me to wait to be escorted into the facility. Shortly, my guide arrived, introduced herself, and explained that she would be with me at all times during my visit to the facility. I told her which product I needed to inspect, and she took me into the facility to the requested area. While I was given plenty of space to gather my samples, at no time was I unaccompanied or unsupervised.
At the conclusion of my work, she escorted me back to the main security area, where I signed out of the log and returned my security badge. I was impressed with the protocol this facility used. Was it overkill, since the facility is "just" packing vegetables into cardboard boxes? Absolutely not - and let's consider why.
Many people that are involved in agribusiness - whether they are a grower, processor, shipper, or distributor - may think they are too small to make a difference to the safety and security of the food supply. After all, a terror threat to the food supply at a small packaging facility wouldn't be noticed. Or, would it?
Let's look at the impact of a single potato producer, shipping 30 loads per week to destinations from Kansas to Pennsylvania. Each load has 850 cartons of 50-count potatoes. The average potato is between 12 and 19 ounces, so each will serve two people. That means each load will serve 85,000 people, and the total week's shipments will serve almost 2.6 million people!
2.6 million people is …
- almost twice the size of the entire active-duty U.S. armed forces
- enough people to be the fourth largest city in the U.S.
- the population of the state of Kansas
- more than the population of each of the 17 smallest states in the U.S., including Idaho
- the population of the country of Jamaica
Everyone must do their part to ensure the safety and security of the food supply. No matter how small or seemingly minor a part of the supply you are, the impact of a security breach can have a huge ripple effect, ultimately affecting the public health.
For more information, contact your CSR or Cindi Thompson.
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What would you like to see in future editions of eNews?
If you see something you would like more information on, or if you have any ideas for next month's issue, please call or email April Barnes.
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