Has it Been 2 Years Without a Leafy Greens E. coli Outbreak?

After a long stretch of annual E. coli outbreaks linked to leafy greens, they seem to have dropped off the radar. Has it really been 28 months since the last time there was an E. coli outbreak linked to leafy greens?

For more than 20 years we’ve been averaging about two leafy greens E. coli outbreaks per year. The pace of these outbreaks was so unrelenting that by 2022, leafy greens became the leading source of E. coli illnesses, knocking ground beef down to second place. But then they just stopped.

Recent Multistate Leafy Greens E. coli Outbreaks

The CDC’s list of multistate outbreaks indicates that more than two years have passed since the last time there was an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine, packaged salads, or any kind of leafy green.

It was late 2021 and early 2022 when the outbreaks occurred.

Simple Truth and Nature’s Basket E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

An E. coli outbreak, linked to Simple Truth and Nature’s Basket organic power greens, began in December 2021 and ended in March 2022 with 10 illnesses and 1 death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four people were hospitalized, two of them with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure associated with E. coli infections.

The power greens blend contained organic spinach, mizuna, kale, and chard. Nature’s Basket is a Giant Eagle store brand, and Simple Truth is a Kroger brand sold at its family of stores including Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Jay C, Food Store, King Soopers, Kroger, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay-Less Super Markets, Pick’n Save, QFC, Ralphs and Rule.

Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

Overlapping with the Simple Truth/Nature’s Basket outbreak was an outbreak linked to Josie’s Organics baby spinach. That outbreak began in October 2021 and ended in January 2022 with 15 illnesses in 10 states. Four people were hospitalized, and three developed HUS.

*Panera and Chipotle E. coli O121:H19 Outbreak

The CDC never announced the third concurrent outbreak because, by the time it was solved, by health and agriculture officials in Minnesota and Washington state, there was no longer a risk to the public.

The illnesses occurred in November and December of 2021. Eventually,  the E. coli O121:H19 outbreak was linked to lettuce produced by Taylor’s Farms and served at Panera restaurants in Washington and Chipotle locations in Minnesota.

E. coli Outbreaks Before 2021

Between 2017 and 2020, nine romaine E. coli outbreaks were linked to the same strain, the same romaine lettuce grower, or both. Some of these outbreaks were caused by a persistent strain of E. coli.

From 2000 to 2018,  40 E. coli outbreaks were linked to leafy greens.  Together, those outbreaks resulted in 1,212 illnesses, 420 hospitalizations, 77 cases of HUS, and eight deaths.

But now 28 months have passed without a single E. coli outbreak linked to leafy greens.  They were the suspected source in at least one.

CDC and FDA Tallies

2022

In 2022, the CDC listed one E. coli outbreak. Romaine lettuce was the suspected source because 80 percent of patients said they ate Wendy’s sandwiches or burgers with lettuce before they became ill. But none of the ingredients tested positive for the outbreak strain.

Wendy’s Lettuce Unknown E. coli Outbreak

In 2022, an E. coli outbreak linked to Wendy’s burgers and sandwiches with romaine lettuce ended with 109 illnesses in six states. The outbreak included 52 hospitalizations and 13 cases of HUS.

Federal officials declared the source of this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak “unknown”  even though more than 80 percent of the patients reported eating Wendy’s burgers or sandwiches containing lettuce before they became ill. Wendy’s uses a romaine hybrid for its sandwiches and a different lettuce for its salads.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated six E. coli outbreaks in 2022. The Wendy’s outbreak,  the Chipotle/Panera/Taylor’s Farms outbreak, and one linked to falafel, The other three investigations were closed without being solved. No suspected food sources were made public.

• E. coli O143:H26, announced 2/22. 16 sick
• E. coli O157:H7, announced, 6/22, 10 sick
• E. coli O157:H7, announced, 10/22, 11 sick

2023

The CDC announced zero E. coli outbreaks in 2023.

The FDA investigated four E. coli outbreaks and closed all of them unsolved. No suspected food sources were made public.

• E. coli O157:H7, announced 7/23, 12 sick
• E. coli O26, announced 7/23, 13 sick
• E. coli O121:H19, announced 11/23, 37 sick
• E. coli O103, announced 11/23, 10 sick

2024

So far this year, the CDC has announced one E. coli outbreak. That one was linked to unpasteurized cheddar cheese.