University of Guelph food safety expert Prof. Keith Warriner spoke to CTV National News about the recurring problem of E. coli outbreaks in fresh produce.

Warriner was commenting on the E. coli outbreaks of the summer and fall of 2018 that led to the hospitalizations of several Canadians. A two-year-old from Stirling, Ont. died during the outbreak from what was likely contaminated romaine lettuce.

Warriner said vegetable growers in many areas of the U.S. where romaine is grown have known about the risks of E. coli contamination for some time, but have not done enough to ensure better safety because of the extra costs required.

A professor in U of G’s Department of Food Science, Warriner researches food safety, food microbiology and pathogens.

He studies enhanced food safety in meat processing, and his team has helped advance knowledge in emerging pathogens, food-borne hazards detection technologies and intervention technologies.