Romaine lettuce growers are beginning to label their lettuce with information on where it was grown and the date it was harvested
The labels are voluntary, so if the romaine lettuce isn’t labeled, don’t buy it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises.
The FDA has indicated that the romaine lettuce involved in the most recent E. coli outbreak was likely harvested from central and northern California growing regions. However, production in that area has now over and most domestic romaine production has moved to Arizona for the winter.
Romaine has been linked to an E. coli outbreak that resulted in 43 reported illnesses across 12 states in the United States, as well as 22 people in Canada who have become ill.
The new labeling will help consumers avoid getting sick from contaminated romaine lettuce, but more action is needed to protect public health, according to Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports praised the new romaine labeling and called for it to be made permanent and broadened to all leafy greens, so consumers can avoid risky products when an outbreak is linked to a particular growing region. The consumer group also urged the FDA to carry out strong agricultural water safety standards and establish new industry requirements for comprehensive and rapid traceability of produce, including leafy greens.
“The new labeling for romaine lettuce is a positive step, but much more needs to be done to protect the public from these recurring, dangerous outbreaks of pathogens like E. coli,” said Jean Halloran, director of Food Policy Initiatives for Consumer Reports. “The FDA should implement the water quality standards that it put on hold a year ago to ensure irrigation water is safe and sanitary. Stronger industry recordkeeping requirements are also long overdue and sorely needed to help the FDA quickly identify the source of foodborne illness outbreaks.”
