National media reached out to University of Guelph experts for information and insight into the recent E. coli outbreak being investigated by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The outbreak in five provinces — Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador — has been linked to romaine lettuce. It has led to 30 cases being investigated and one reported death.
U of G food scientist Keith Warriner talked about the outbreak and prevention tips with Global National News Dec. 16. The segment also highlighted technology Warriner created to decontaminate produce, which earned him a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence earlier this month. Warriner studies food safety in the meat processing and fresh-cut sectors, and has developed decontamination methods for salmonella and for products that can cause food-borne illness outbreaks.
Jason Tetro, a visiting U of G scientist and author of two books — The Germ Files and The Germ Code — was interviewed by Global’s national online news on the subject.
Tetro said the bacteria are often found in farm irrigation water rather than on produce itself. He said tracing the origin of an E. coli outbreak is incredibly difficult — especially if it isn’t isolated to a specific store, restaurant or province.