New Outbreak of e. coli; Field-grown Lettuce is the Culprit

Tulsa, OK – (http://www.growponicsamericas.com), May 8, 2010 – Growponics Americas, a company that operates hydro-organic greenhouses around the world, including the USA, notes with interest a current outbreak of E. coli in 3 US states. Growponics America’s unique growing system produces leafy greens, i.e. lettuces and herbs, in sealed hydro-organic greenhouses that produce leafy greens without the use of herbicides and pesticides, and are totally free of E. coli and other pathogens. The best news is that the greenhouses of Growponics Americas can be erected in every state in the USA, and can supply leafy greens to stores, institutions, restaurants, and hotels the same day it is harvested to ensure freshness and healthy food to its customers. The best news is that Growponics Americas is a franchise company, with full support to the franchisee, to insure healthy, hydro-organic leafy greens to the market at the same price as field-grown leafy greens, which, over and over, are the source of E. coli outbreaks.

Multiple news sources report an outbreak of E. coli O145 that has sickened over 60 people in three states, and appears to be due to contaminated romaine lettuce from Freshway Foods. Sidney, Ohio-based Freshway is recalling lettuce products that were distributed to wholesale, food service, and salad bar outlets. The FDA press release lists all recalled items, which are branded under the Freshway and Imperial Sysco names.

The outbreak of E. coli O145 has been clustered around colleges in three towns; students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Ohio State University in Columbus, and Daemen College in Buffalo, NY have all fallen ill.

“E. coli O145 is not that common,” said safe food advocate and attorney Bill Marler. “Food service distribution of a product contaminated with E. coli O145 is the missing link that health investigators have been looking for. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that lettuce distribution through campus food service has made students ill. In 2008, students in the Pacific Northwest were sickened under very similar circumstances, and some of those victims are still struggling to regain their health.”

E. coli outbreaks in leafy green vegetables have been on the rise. The Center for Science the public interest reports that between 1990 and 1998, fully 25 percent of all E. coli outbreaks were due to leafy greens.

Consumer resource: Family Health Guide about E. coli (PDF)

Media resource: Outbreak Database of previous outbreaks in leafy greens

Federal investigators continue to look for the original source of contaminated lettuce sold by the Ohio company, and linked to the outbreak of E. coli 0145 that has sickened at least 60 people in Columbus, Michigan and New York.

Freshway Foods issued a recall of products containing romaine lettuce yesterday, which are distributed in 23 states east of the Mississippi River. The recall does not apply to bagged or unpackaged lettuce sold in grocery stores, according to the company, which sells a variety of pre-cut fruits and vegetables and salad mixes. The suspect lettuce is that which is sold to in-store and institutional salad bars.

Officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wouldn’t name any specific farms under investigation yesterday. Previous investigation of outbreaks involving leafy greens “lead us to believe that the point of contamination is at the farm,” spokesman Ira Allen said.

Devon Beer, vice president of Freshway Foods, said he thinks the investigation is focused on a growing region in Yuma, AZ.

Growponics Americas