USDA: Beyond the Salad Bowl
April 30, 2024 | 1 min to read
The presence of pathogenic E. coli in lettuce, specifically strain E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157), poses serious risks to the U.S. produce industry, valued at over $4 billion. Outbreaks not only threaten public health but also harm the industry economically and diminish consumer confidence. To combat this, ARS researchers and collaborators have developed a weather-based model to predict contamination levels of EcO157 and other pathogens on lettuce.
The presence of pathogenic E. coli in lettuce poses a significant concern for the produce industry in the United States. One particular strain, E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157), has been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to lettuce consumption.
With the industry valued at over $4 billion annually, the ramifications of such outbreaks extend beyond public health concerns, to economic impact on the produce industry and erosion of consumer confidence.
Now, ARS researchers and their collaborators have developed a weather-based model that could help predict the contamination levels of EcO157 and other pathogens on lettuce.
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