Federal agencies won't disclose the name of the grower behind a deadly E. coli lettuce outbreak
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) won't disclose the name of the grower behind a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce in 2024. According to February reports obtained by Food Safety News, both agencies revealed that the same grower was responsible for an outbreak in 2021.
In the 2024 outbreak — which occurred in November and December — a total of 89 individuals became ill across 15 states. Seven individuals developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication that causes kidney failure, and one person died.
The FDA explained that the grower is not named in its report because 'by the time the investigation was over, the implicated lot of romaine lettuce was no longer available for sale,' Food Safety News reported. Additionally, the agency redacted the names of all firms and companies that handled and processed the tainted lettuce.
'The three traceback legs identified 4 distribution centers, broker, processors, [redacted] grower, and [redacted] ranch,' the FDA report outlined. 'The traceback investigation determined that [redacted], the sole processor, sourced romaine lettuce from [redacted] grower, [redacted].'
'This romaine was available at all points of service (POS) during the specified timeframe of interest. Additionally, romaine lettuce supplied to [redacted] POS was traced back to a common ranch and lot,' the report continued. 'Through analysis of records, [redacted] lots of romaine lettuce were implicated, resulting in confirmation of romaine lettuce as the vehicle.'
The FDA added that seven subclusters of E. Coli infections were part of the outbreak. They included catered events in Missouri, an Ohio school, an Indiana restaurant, an Illinois restaurant and an Illinois catered event, per Food Safety News. An investigation by the CDC found that out of 65 individuals who were part of the subclusters, 95% said they ate a mix of leafy greens before falling sick. 88% of individuals who could remember what leafy greens they ate said they consumed romaine lettuce.
'The traceback investigation determined that a sole processor sourced romaine lettuce from [redacted] grower that would have been available at all points of service during the timeframe of interest,' the FDA said in its report. 'Additionally, romaine lettuce supplied to [redacted] POS was traced back to a common ranch and lot.'
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Hibbeln is a former NIH researcher focused on nutrition and psychiatry, with a particular interest in seafood: He is an unpaid adviser to Positively Groundfish, a nonprofit trade association supporting the fishing industry. Though his vaccine views haven't been made clear, a paper he co-authored in 2018 notes that a connection between a form of mercury in vaccines, thimerosal, and autism 'has been largely repudiated.' Kennedy noted in his X post that, while at the NIH, Hibbeln 'led research on immune regulation, neurodevelopment, and mental health' and that his work has 'informed US public health guidelines, particularly in maternal and child health.' Hibbeln declined to comment when reached by email. Kulldorff was a prominent early critic of the US government's coronavirus response, namely broad shutdowns and school closures, and later the Covid-19 vaccines and what he has argued was federal collusion with social media companies to censor his and others' views. The Swedish epidemiologist and biostatistician teamed up with Oxford professor Dr. Sunetra Gupta and Stanford professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, now director of the National Institutes of Health, to write the October 2020 'Great Barrington Declaration,' which argued for fewer social distancing requirements for young, healthy people rather than broad lockdowns. That alliance carried on as Bhattacharya assumed his federal role. Kulldorff's name swirled in the early days of the second Trump administration as HHS officials discussed potential hires around the agencies and appointments to advisory panels, according to a personal familiar with the discussions who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak with CNN. Kennedy also seemed to suggest in April that Kulldorff was part of the agency's effort to research the causes of autism. 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The study also didn't account for different dosages in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, noted Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and infectious disease expert who is co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital. Moderna's shots had a higher dose of mRNA than Pfizer's: 100 micrograms vs. about 30 micrograms. If the excess deaths were caused by Covid, greater protection from the Moderna vaccines might explain the higher death risk in the Pfizer-vaccinated group, Hotez said. When asked whether the different dosing of mRNA in the vaccines might account for the findings, Levi wrote, 'I think that the hypothesis that Moderna has protective effects against non-COVID deaths and even against cardiovascular deaths, while cannot be fully dismissed, is highly implausible, and not supported by evidence.' In fact, Hotez said, it is supported by evidence. Hotez said in an email that this kind of messaging 'cherry picks a weakly supported factoid, and blows it up until it defies reality but supports their false narrative, while simultaneously ignoring a mountain of counter evidence.' The study authors used the findings to try to sow doubt about the vaccines. In a social media post, Ladapo wrote, 'Did your doctor tell you that you might be more likely to die if you took Pfizer instead of Moderna? That's what we found in Florida, and other studies have shown similar results. The system is rotten and we need more honest scientists.' Although Malone made some key early innovations in mRNA and its potential use in drug therapies, the biochemist has argued in recent years that mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines are risky and that drug regulators too rapidly authorized their use. 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Kennedy's post about Pagano notes that he's a board-certified emergency medicine physician with more than 40 years of experience, including service on hospital committees, and is a strong advocate for evidence-based medicine. He appears to be licensed in both California and Florida. In posts on a blog linked to the X account with his name, Pagano wrote in 2017 that it was a 'disappointment' that Republicans failed to repeal and replace Obamacare, and he advocated for 'transparent, cost-based pricing' in health care. Pebsworth is a registered nurse and has a doctorate in health services organization and policy. She has worked in health care for more than 45 years, according to a brief bio that Kennedy posted to X. She's a regional director for the National Association of Catholic Nurses. She has served as a consumer representative to the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, or VRBPAC, and on subcommittees for HHS's National Vaccine Advisory Committee, along with other federal and congressional appointments. She has been a board member of the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that says it 'is dedicated to preventing vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and advocating for informed consent protections in medical policies and public health laws.' Articles and videos on its website say that vaccine injuries are common while the benefits of immunizations are questionable, call for more study of vaccines on the childhood schedule and promote the false idea that vaccines cause autism. As part of that group, Pebsworth made 'Ask Nurse Vicky' videos talking about vaccine injuries and informed consent. In one of the videos, she shared that she believes her son was injured by vaccines he received during a routine doctor's visit when he was 15 months old. In 2009, disgraced British physician Andrew Wakefield introduced Pebsworth's son before he sang and played keyboards at an autism dinner. Wakefield helped cause a worldwide panic in 1998 after he published a study suggesting that vaccines cause autism, but many subsequent studies have disproven the link. He was stripped of his medical license in 2010. Wakefield called Pebsworth 'my great friend.' Pebsworth did not respond to CNN's request for comment. Kennedy listed Dr. Michael Ross as a clinical professor at George Washington University and Virginia Commonwealth University, although Ross is not currently employed at either institution. A VCU spokesperson told CNN that Ross was an affiliate faculty member with the School of Medicine's Inova Campus from 2006 to 2021, when the VCU and Inova partnership ended. A spokesperson for GWU said Ross began working at the university in 1979, but he has not had a faculty appointment there since 2017. His LinkedIn lists his work there ending in May 2025. The Virginia-based obstetrics and gynecology physician announced a month ago that he had joined Manta Pharma, a Maryland biotech firm focused on AI-based delivery of therapies for autoimmune diseases, diabetes, drug addiction and HIV/AIDS. Ross' other current employer, private equity group Havencrest Capital Management, describes him as a 'serial CEO' who has served on the boards of multiple private health care companies. On his LinkedIn page, Ross says that while CEO of a generic pharmaceutical company, he engineered the acquisition of a stem cell company 'and an investment in a vaccine company.' Ross previously served as president of CPL Inc., the North American division of Indian generic drugmaker Cadila Pharmaceutical, and was a board member of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. Ross did not respond to a request for comment on the vaccine company investment and potential recusals while serving on ACIP. CNN's Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck contributed to this report.
