Romaine Outbreak Update: Call for Voluntary Labeling

Last week, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state and local partners, began investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 likely linked to romaine lettuce and advised retailers, restaurants and other food service operators to not serve romaine lettuce until more was known. While the investigation continues FDA is announcing new steps to help consumers better identify where their romaine is grown through voluntary labeling. At this point, the investigation suggests romaine lettuce associated with the outbreak comes from areas of California that grow romaine lettuce over the summer months, and that the outbreak appears to be related to “end of season” romaine lettuce harvested from these areas. The involved areas include the Central Coast growing regions of central and northern California.

By encouraging place-of-origin labeling for romaine lettuce, the FDA is moving the entire produce industry…