E. coli outbreak went unpublicized by FDA despite affecting 15 states: report
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is coming under fire for not publicizing its own report into an E. coli outbreak last year that spread across 15 states and infected 89 people, one of whom died, according to a report from TKTKT.
The outbreak was linked to romaine lettuce — with the first case being recorded in St. Louis County in Missouri in early November 2024 — but the agency was unable to confirm the source in its investigation, which it published in February.
In total, 36 people were hospitalized, and 7 people developed Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious kidney disorder. Details about the death are unclear. The E. coli was 0157:H7 — a particularly dangerous strain that can result in severe illness.
About 95% of those infected reported eating leafy greens and 88% of those could recall consuming romaine lettuce, according to the FDA report. The report came to light after NBC News sought a public records request connected with ongoing litigation.
The FDA traceback led to a single grower and processor, with the romaine traced to a common ranch and lot. But the agency was unable to confirm the outbreak as connected to that location since there was no infected lettuce left by the time investigators learned where the E. coli was coming from.
Seven subclusters were identified, including at catered events, restaurants and a school.
The FDA then published its final report in February but redacted the name of the company it thought may have been the source.
Additionally, despite the severity of the outbreak, the FDA did not publicly announce the result of its report. "There were no public communications related to this outbreak," the FDA said in its report.
That is concerning, said Frank Yiannas, the former deputy commissioner of food policy and response at the FDA.
"It is disturbing that FDA hasn't said anything more public or identified the name of a grower or processor," Yiannas told NBC News.
He argued that by choosing not to identify the responsible party, the FDA withheld important information that could have helped consumers make informed choices about their purchases. He also noted that some individuals may have become ill during the outbreak without knowing the source, and that serious bacterial infections can lead to lasting health effects.
The FDA, in a statement to NBC, said it names firms when there is enough evidence linking them to an outbreak and if there is "actionable advice for consumers, as long as naming the firm is not legally prohibited," a spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News. "By the time investigators had confirmed the likely source, the outbreak had already ended and there was no actionable advice for consumers."
Fox News Digital reached out to the FDA for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
NBC reports that nine lawsuits have now been filed against California-based Taylor Farms, one of the country's largest producers of salads and fresh-cut vegetables. They argue in court documents that Taylor Farms sold "defective and unreasonably dangerous" food products.
Taylor Farms denied it was the source of the outbreak in a statement to NBC. Fox News Digital reached out to Taylor Farms for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
"We don't believe Taylor Farms was the source of the referenced recent E. coli outbreaks, based on information collected during thorough third-party investigations and robust food safety controls," it said in a statement.
After this article was published, Taylor Farms released an updated statement saying, in part, "Taylor Farms product WAS NOT the source of the referenced 2024 E. coli outbreak. We perform extensive raw and finished product testing on all our product and there was no evidence of contamination."
The outbreak came just weeks after a McDonald's E. coli outbreak was linked to Taylor Farms.
Taylor Farms supplies McDonald's with its slivered onions used in its popular Quarter Pounder burger. The farm voluntarily recalled the onions after the outbreak infected more than 100 people, killing one person.
A statement provided by a Taylor Farms spokesperson to KSBW at the time said, "We test both raw and finished products for pathogens and have found no traces of E. coli. We have never seen E. coliO157:H7 associated with onions in the past."
"Out of an abundance of caution, Taylor Farms Colorado removed yellow onions from the market produced out of our Colorado facility. We continue to work closely with FDA and CDC during this ongoing investigation," the statement added. "Our priority is the health and wellness of our customers and consumers and the safety and quality of our products."
While Taylor Farms' headquarters is in Salinas, it also has several facilities across the country, including one in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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