SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10, 2006
250 Cartons Of Lettuce Missing
7 Western States Are Searched, In Recall Because Of E.Coli Caution
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Play CBS Video Video E. Coli Concerns With Lettuce First it was spinach, now it's lettuce. A recall of a popular brand of lettuce is under way in seven western states. Don Knapp reports on the 8500 cartons of Foxy brand lettuce causing concern.
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Video Lettuce Recall Issued Lettuce has been recalled in seven states, for fear that it, like spinach, may have been contaminated by E. Coli. Dr. Mallika Marshall speaks with Rene Syler about the lettuce recall.
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(AP)
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Fast Facts E. coli Learn more about a dangerous strain of a common bacteria.
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The dangerous form of the bacteria linked to the spinach recall can be found in animal and human feces. It can be transmitted to produce through contaminated water, inadequate hygiene on the farm or processing plant, and wild or domesticated animals wandering into fields. It can proliferate on raw produce, unpasteurized milk or juice, or raw meat.
Healthy adults generally recover from contamination within days with few consequences, but some may develop long-term kidney problems. Children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk for serious health problems or death.
An elderly woman in Nebraska, a 2-year-old boy in Idaho and an elderly Wisconsin woman have died from E. coli infections after eating tainted spinach.
The lettuce recall comes in the wake of several recent recalls of certain brands of packaged spinach, carrot juice, beef and unpasteurized milk found to be tainted with bacteria that can cause anything from a mild indisposition to serious illnesses and death.
The industry is working on a safety plan they expect to present shortly to the FDA, and which they believe will make such outbreaks less likely, farm representatives said.
In the meantime, they said Nunes did the right thing by pulling their products off the shelf.
"We recognize that this precautionary recall may raise concerns, but this is precisely the type of action required by the industry when a grower, packer or processor suspects something may have occurred not in keeping with good agricultural practices," said Tom Stenzel, president of the United Fresh Produce Association, in a statement Monday.
Although food-borne illnesses have been making headlines recently, experts say it is important to remember that thousands of pounds of fresh greens are produced and consumed safely in the country. Increased scrutiny stemming from these outbreaks will only increase the precautions taken by the industry, they said.
"This is all an education for us," Nunes said. "We're going to get better and better at it."
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