PHOENIX, April 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While romaine
production in Arizona has slowed
for the season, those involved in the production and shipment of
Arizona leafy greens vegetables
are working diligently with federal agencies and other industry
partners to gather accurate information to share with consumers in
light of the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.
"We are concerned about the impact to the country and especially
for those who have suffered from this outbreak," said Arizona Leafy
Greens Food Safety Committee Administrator Teressa Lopez. "As with every food safety
related issue, our commitment to improve our food safety practices
is unwavering."
The majority of production of romaine lettuce has shifted to
California, as this is the typical
transition time between the Arizona and California growing regions. A small amount of
product is also coming from Florida and Mexico.
Members of Arizona and
California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements (LGMAs) represent 94.7
percent of U.S. lettuce production and more than 4 billion pounds
of romaine consumed annually. The organizations have worked
collaboratively over the past decade to develop a comprehensive
food safety program that consists of uniform food safety practices
and regular monitoring by USDA auditors. Nearly all of the shippers
involved in leafy greens production in Arizona and California are members of both
organizations.
The leafy greens industry, along with other industry partners,
have been in close communication with the Arizona Department of
Agriculture, the Arizona Department of Health Services, the CDC and
the FDA as they conduct their investigation. In fact, it is because
of the traceability, record-keeping and participation of leafy
greens members that the agencies were able to pinpoint the outbreak
to the Yuma region.
"Our program remains nimble every year, standing ready to
address new potential intrusions and threats to food safety," Lopez
said. "Outbreaks like this can have rippling effects, first
affecting those who become ill as well as those who are intimately
involved in the industry. This is why this committed group of
shippers voluntarily organized in the first place, so we can
mobilize, act quickly and improve our processes to minimize future
occurrences."
More information is at arizonaleafygreens.org.
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SOURCE Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee