FDA High Importance

The FDA issued this news release announcing a match of an E. coli strain linked to a foodborne illness outbreak at Taco John's restaurants to the same strain found in environmental samples collected near a dairy herd close to a lettuce operation in California. On the same day growers are meeting in California to hear about a food safety marketing agreement, they must deal with this as well. Here is the report.


January 7, 2007 301-827-6242 P07- 05 Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA and States Closer to Identifying Source of E. coli Contamination
Associated with Illnesses at Taco John’s Restaurants
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it has moved closer to identifying the source of illness for the Taco John E. coli outbreak. FDA and the state of California, working in conjunction with state health officials in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, have DNA-matched the strain of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria associated with the outbreak with two environmental samples gathered from dairy farms near a lettuce growing area in California's Central Valley.
The investigation is ongoing, including obtaining additional samples, to determine if and how material from the dairy farms may have contaminated the lettuce growing area.
FDA has no indication that any lettuce currently on the market, including iceberg lettuce, is connected with any consumer illnesses. This outbreak is not connected to any previous outbreak.
The outbreak sickened approximately 81 individuals in November and December of 2006. Illnesses were reported in Minnesota (33), Iowa (47), and Wisconsin (1). Twenty-six people were hospitalized, and two suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication of E. coli O157:H7 infection that can cause permanent kidney damage and death. No deaths have been associated with the outbreak. No new cases of illness are being reported and the outbreak is now considered over.
Taco John's is headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and has franchises in more than 25 states; however, the outbreak was associated only with Taco John's restaurants located in Iowa and Minnesota.
Epidemiological studies by Minnesota and Iowa health officials had previously identified shredded iceberg lettuce served in the restaurants as the likely vehicle of transmission in the outbreak. FDA was able to focus on specific lettuce growing regions based on the traceback from records obtained from the lettuce processor. The recent DNA match provides a clue as to one possible source of the contamination for the lettuce, although others may exist. It has yet to be determined how the E. coli contaminated the lettuce. The traceback investigation is ongoing and will hopefully yield further insight into how this contamination occurred.
In the wake of recent outbreaks of consumer illness connected with fresh produce, FDA will accelerate its efforts to address produce safety, including consideration of new regulations, if appropriate, to reduce risk of contamination by pathogens.
In the near future, FDA plans to announce public meetings specifically to involve all stakeholders in identifying and initiating measures that will improve the safety of fresh produce marketed in U.S. commerce.
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Stuck in the middle

This story from Chicagoland talks about the emergence of Whole Food Markets on one end of the retail spectrum and fast-growing Wal-Mart and Aldi on the other. So called mainstream grocers like Jewel Foods and Dominick's are in the middle and left to figure out how to respond to both competitive challenges.
It seems everyone - Aldi excluded, to be accurate - is high on the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables. To fresh produce marketers, it is a win-win situation, no matter who wins the battle for market share.

An uncertain future

Sometimes the produce industry may feel it has to pinch itself with the consistent messages coming from Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. He has again and again, before audiences in the cotton belt and the fruit belt, talked about the need for a more inclusive farm bill. Produce industry lobbyists hope that will translate to active support for specialty crop priorities. This blog by Ken Cook reminds us that Secretary Ann Veneman was also an advocate of reform in the 2002 farm bill until she was undercut by the House Agriculture Committee and the White House.

Johanns has been an equal opportunity listener. He has gone beyond that to advocate reform and greater equity in the next farm bill. The third step - actually pulling it off - is what he will be measured by.

Coldest before the dawn

The National Weather Service reports that the San Joaquin Valley was well below freezing last night, as The Packer's Jim Offner warned us. The link on the right side of this blog shows that Bakersfield was an arctic 25 degree F at 7 a.m. However, it seemed Bakersfield, at least, was coldest just before the dawn. Perhaps that limited the impact of the cold.

The navel market - and specialty citrus - will be under the microscope in the weeks ahead as both buyers and sellers react to possible freeze damage.

Here is the USDA's January crop report, with citrus estimates that may have to be revised later.

The joy of mud

I couldn't believe this UK report about the preservative power of mud on potatoes and other root veggies. Apparently, retail chain ASDA said sales of "muddy spuds" have jump 20% since they were reintroduced last month. The mud-caked spuds are a third cheaper than the washed variety.

Another supposed payoff for the consumer, beside the lower price, is that the dirt encrusted root vegetable lasts up to three weeks longer than their washed equivalents.

An ASDA spokesman is quoted that some consumers are going back to their pre-1960s buying habits, which presumably means that they don't mind scraping dried mud from their potatoes before they eat them.

This may be unique to British sensibilities. I don't think the U.S. consumer is that desperate for a bargain, an extra 21 days of shelf life or the love of pre-1960s produce packing technology. Or mud, for that matter.

Fruit news from SA and NZ

The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service has released reports on apples and pears from New Zealand and South Africa. The NZ report reveals USDA forecasts an increase of 6% for harvest and 13% greater exports for the coming season. Growing demand for no residue and organic apples is noted, along with observations about consolidation and variety trends. Currently, about 8% of NZ's apples are organic and that number is expected to grow.

For South Africa, the USDA reveals that 2007 production of deciduous fruit is rated 5% higher, with exports of fresh pears projected 6% up and apples 12% more than last year. Grapes will decline 4%, the FAS says.

In the always confusing world of Market Access Program fund allocations, the USDA has issued a news release of who gets what for export promotions. Kevin Moffitt of the Pear Bureau notes that the agency has told recipients that the 2007 allocations will come in several installments this year.