Lettuce Help: USDA data on shipments of romaine lettuce can inform foodborne illness outbreak investigations and public health advisories

A study by ERS researchers demonstrates how USDA data on daily shipments of romaine lettuce can be used to determine which producing regions within the United States are free from contamination during a foodborne illness outbreak. The study finds that among the 29 outbreaks of Shiga-toxin producing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Amber waves 2020-02, Vol.February 2020 (1)
Main Authors: Astill, Gregory, Todd, Jessica E, Page, Elina T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Escherichia coli (STEC)
Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety
Food Security and Poverty
foodborne illness
Health Economics and Policy
romaine lettuce
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:A study by ERS researchers demonstrates how USDA data on daily shipments of romaine lettuce can be used to determine which producing regions within the United States are free from contamination during a foodborne illness outbreak. The study finds that among the 29 outbreaks of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 associated with romaine lettuce between 1998 and 2018, illnesses peaked in April and October, which corresponds with the tail end of the harvest season in the two main romaine growing regions.
ISSN:1545-8741
1545-875X
DOI:10.22004/ag.econ.302892