California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: CDC

  • Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Iceberg Lettuce

    The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The illnesses included in this outbreak are a subset of the Cyclospora illnesses identified nationwide.

    Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, a total of 1,644 people infected with Cyclospora and reporting exposure to Taco Bell have been reported by five states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 13 to July 13. There have been 94 hospitalizations and no deaths have been reported. Michigan analyzed food exposure details from 190 of the cases who reported eating at Taco Bell and shared these findings with CDC. Ingredient level analyses on meals eaten by these cases indicate that 90% of those interviewed reported eating iceberg lettuce.

    FDA’s traceback investigation has identified convergence on a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico used by Taco Bell locations where sick people ate before becoming ill.

    FDA is working directly with the identified supplier to determine if potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce remains on the market. As part of this investigation, FDA and state partners have initiated collection of product samples for testing and analysis. Additionally, FDA has increased screening at the border for products implicated in the outbreak.

    FDA is also working with Taco Bell and they have committed to stop using any lettuce from the supplier identified by FDA’s traceback investigation.

    FDA and state partners are actively investigating the source and scope of the contamination. Because the investigation remains ongoing, additional implicated brands, restaurants, retailers or distribution channels may be identified as the investigation continues. This advisory will be updated promptly as new information becomes available.

    FDA is aware that the case counts in this advisory may not match what is being reported by individual states. State data may include both probable and confirmed cases, while CDC and FDA include confirmed cases only. State case counts may also include initial case reports that have not yet been reported to CDC. As cases are confirmed, these numbers will continue to update.

    Additionally, 2026 national surveillance numbers reported by the CDC track laboratory-confirmed cases in the U.S. overall, which include this outbreak as well as illnesses that are not a part of this outbreak. — Story contributed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

  • Public Health Partnership Taps Avocados To Spread Awareness About Diabetes Prevention

    During National Diabetes Month, the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) joined forces with AltaMed Health Services, the nation’s largest independent federally qualified community health center, to leverage the popularity and goodness of healthy avocados to boost the influence and impact of a diabetes-focused public education outreach to the Latino community.

    Leveraging  relevant research and bilingual educational tools from Aguacates Frescos – Saborea Uno Hoy® bilingual educational tools, recipes and website, the campaign spotlighted the positive role dietary fiber, like that found in fresh avocados, can play in helping maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

    Latinos, one of the country’s fastest growing population segments and a high-value shopper group for the avocado industry, have a 50% chance of developing diabetes in their lifetime per the CDC.

    Working with AltaMed, a network of 300 health professionals providing service to 300,000 patients across Southern California, HAB supported the local deployment of mobile health care units to increase access to glucose testing as well as science-based information about the role nutrition may have in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

    Communications to AltaMed’s network of health professionals, patients, and donors, all directed to the campaign landing page SaboreaUnoHoy.com/AltaMedfor more information in Spanish or English.

    News of the grassroots campaign was pitched broadly and successfully triggered national interest in how bilingual education featuring fresh avocados was being used in the fight against diabetes. Wide-reaching, influential Spanish language outlets such as People en Español and Mundo Hispano covered the strategic partnership.

  • FDA Releases Findings Following 2020 Outbreak Linked to Central Valley Peaches

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in Peaches. The FDA and multiple state and federal partners investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections that were linked to the consumption of peaches during the summer of 2020. In total, the outbreak caused 101 reported illnesses across 17 states, including 28 hospitalizations. This appears to be the first time a Salmonella outbreak has been linked to peaches.

    The FDA conducted this investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state partners, and Canadian public health officials between August and October 2020. The epidemiological and traceback investigation determined that peaches packed or supplied by a large grower/producer were the likely source of the outbreak. The traceback evidence informed and helped to prioritize two subsequent investigations of peach packing/holding operations and peach orchards in Cutler, Kerman, and Sanger, California.  The large grower/producer cooperated with FDA throughout the investigation and is continuing to engage with FDA on the agency’s findings and recommendations.

    Investigators conducted over 700 tests on environmental, peach, and peach tree leaf samples.  While no test results matched the 2020 outbreak strain, four tests conducted on peach and peach tree leaf samples collected from an orchard adjacent to a poultry operation yielded positives for Salmonella Alachua which were further linked via whole genome sequencing (WGS) to 2019 and 2020 chicken isolates. This finding prompted a follow-up investigation more closely focused on growing areas and a voluntary recall by the firm, preventing the tested, contaminated product from reaching the market. During the follow-up investigation, two tests of peach tree leaf samples collected from orchards adjacent to a cattle feedlot yielded positives for Salmonella Montevideo that were genetically similar via WGS to 2018-2020 beef and cattle isolates.

    While investigators did not find the outbreak strain, and the strains of Salmonella found during this outbreak were not linked to any clinical illnesses, the investigational findings reinforce the FDA’s concern about the potential impact that adjacent land uses can have on the safety of produce.

    The FDA views the implementation of appropriate science- and risk-based measures to reduce the potential for contamination of peaches and other produce as the most effective and practicable means to improve the safety of fresh produce, especially when measures are tailored to the specific practices and conditions on individual farms. The FDA encourages all growers to be cognizant of and assess risks that may be posed by adjacent and nearby land uses, including for the potential impact of dust exposure. The FDA also recognizes the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment when it comes to public health outcomes, and we encourage collaboration among various groups in the broader agricultural community (e.g., produce growers, those managing animal operations, state and federal government agencies, and academia) to address this issue.

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  • FDA Issues Report Highlighting Salmonella Outbreak in Red Onions

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Newport outbreak that caused more than 1,600 reported illnesses in the U.S. and Canada between June and October 2020. The FDA worked with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state partners, and Canadian officials (Public Health Agency of Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency) to investigate the outbreak, which was linked through epidemiology and traceback to whole red onions supplied by Thomson International Inc., headquartered in Bakersfield (Southern San Joaquin Valley) with additional operations in Holtville (Imperial Valley), California. The outbreak is the largest Salmonella foodborne illness outbreak in over a decade. The report released today includes an overview of the traceback investigation, subsequent on-site interviews, visual observations of the growing fields, and environmental sampling, and various factors that potentially contributed to the contamination of red onions with Salmonella.

    Although a conclusive root cause could not be identified, several potential contributing factors to the 2020 Salmonella outbreak linked to red onions were identified. These include:

    • potentially contaminated sources of irrigation water;
    • sheep grazing on adjacent land;
    • signs of animal intrusion, including scat (fecal droppings), and large flocks of birds that may spread contamination; and
    • food contact surfaces that had not been inspected, maintained, or cleaned as frequently as necessary to protect against the contamination of produce.

    In sampling conducted in Holtville, CA, the FDA found Salmonella Newport in 10 water (irrigation, seepage, and drainage) and one sediment subsamples. However, the whole genome sequencing of these samples did not match the outbreak strain.

    Although a conclusive root cause could not be identified, several potential contributing factors to the 2020 red onion outbreak were identified, including a leading hypothesis that contaminated irrigation water used in a growing field in Holtville, CA may have led to contamination of the onions.

    In light of this report, the FDA encourages all farms to:

    • assess growing operations to ensure implementation of appropriate science and risk-based preventive measures, including applicable provisions of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and good agricultural practices;
    • implement industry-led root-cause analyses to determine how the contamination likely occurred when pathogens are identified through pre-harvest or post-harvest testing of produce, or microbiological surveys;
    • be aware of and consider the risks that may be posed by adjacent and nearby land uses, especially as it relates to the presence of livestock and the interface between farmland, rangeland, irrigation water, and other agricultural areas;
    • consider additional tools such as pre-harvest and/or post-harvest sampling and testing of products to help inform the risk assessment and clarify the need for specific prevention measures; and
    • improve traceability by increasing digitization, interoperability and standardization of traceability records; and
    • follow good agricultural practices to maintain and protect the quality of water sources.

    Thomson International Inc. cooperated with the FDA throughout the investigation and is continuing to engage with the FDA on the agency’s findings and recommendations.

    Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves food producers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and regulators. Recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment when it comes to public health outcomes, we encourage collaboration among various groups in the broader agricultural community (i.e. livestock owners and produce growers, state government and academia) to address this issue. The FDA is committed to working with these stakeholders to advance critical work.

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