Researchers Study E.coli Contamination in Bagged Lettuce, Spinach
Since 1993, at least 25 E. coli outbreaks have been traced to leafy green vegetables—primarily lettuce and spinach –and now researchers will be using RFID sensors to help determine why.
The three-year study is part of a larger project called “A Systems Approach to Minimize Escherichia coli O157:H7 Food Safety Hazards Associated with Fresh- and Fresh-Cut Leafy Greens,” and will be led by a group of scientists at California Polytechnic State University, funded by a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Specifically, the researchers will investigate which temperature and humidity conditions favor the development of food-borne illness contamination in bagged spinach and lettuce.
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