An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Canada has been linked to “leafy greens”, which means lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula or chard. Most of these vegetables come from the Salinas, California and Yuma, Arizona areas.
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Leafy greens can get contaminated with E. coli bacteria in various ways, including the following:
- irrigating or cleaning the plants with tainted water;
- flooding;
- wild animals defecating in fields;
- unsanitary processing facilities.
The 12 Canadian cases with matching genetic fingerprints (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) were reported from the following provinces: Alberta (9), Saskatchewan (1), Ontario (1), and Newfoundland and Labrador (1). The illness onset dates range from March 13 to March 31, 2015.
People are at risk of severe illness, including renal failure from a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome. This infection can also cause pancreatitits, colitis, heart problems and brain damage. Children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk for serious complications.
Investigation Points to Leafy Greens as Source of Outbreak
The epidemiological investigation found a connection between the people sickened and eating leafy greens. Leafy greens can include all varieties of lettuces and other green leaf vegetables such as kale, spinach, arugula, or chard.
Traceback investigations are being done to find the specific product that caused the illnesses. This means looking at suppliers, distributors, processors, growers and others. This process is made more difficult when mixed greens are involved. Many containers of fresh salad mix in grocery stores now have a variety products. Each one needs to be traced back, and testing needs to be done at a number of processing plants for the express purpose of determining if E. coli O157:H7 is present.
Past outbreaks have involved organic greens; others, products sold at restaurants or at grocery store delis.
You have the right to compensation if you get food poisoning. A lawsuit for E. coli poisoning could include a grower and distributor.