Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017

In the United States, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has increased during recent years as consumers seek to make healthier lifestyle choices. However, the number of outbreaks associated with fresh produce that involve cases in more than one state (multistate) has increased concomitan...

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Main Authors: Christina K. Carstens, Joelle K. Salazar, Charles Darkoh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02667/full
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author Christina K. Carstens
Joelle K. Salazar
Charles Darkoh
Charles Darkoh
author_facet Christina K. Carstens
Joelle K. Salazar
Charles Darkoh
Charles Darkoh
author_sort Christina K. Carstens
collection DOAJ
description In the United States, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has increased during recent years as consumers seek to make healthier lifestyle choices. However, the number of outbreaks associated with fresh produce that involve cases in more than one state (multistate) has increased concomitantly. As the distance along the farm-to-fork continuum has lengthened over time, there are also more opportunities for fresh produce contamination with bacterial pathogens before it reaches the consumer. This review provides an overview of the three bacterial pathogens (i.e., pathogenic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica) associated with multistate fresh produce outbreaks that occurred between 2010 and 2017 in the U.S. Possible routes of fresh produce contamination, including pre- and post-harvest, are summarized and outcomes of selected outbreaks within this timeframe are highlighted. Eighty-five multistate outbreaks linked to fresh produce with a confirmed etiology occurred from 2010 to 2017. Cross-contamination within the distribution chain and poor agricultural practices, along with the production of sprouts and importation of fresh produce were frequently implicated contributors to these events. The evolution of the food supply chain in the U.S. necessitates an examination of multistate outbreaks to shed light on factors that increase the scale of these events.
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spelling doaj.art-c0f90fdb14174820a60444c31b538ec82022-12-22T02:51:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2019-11-011010.3389/fmicb.2019.02667492987Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017Christina K. Carstens0Joelle K. Salazar1Charles Darkoh2Charles Darkoh3Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United StatesDivision of Food Processing Science and Technology, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, IL, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United StatesMicrobiology and Infectious Diseases Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United StatesIn the United States, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has increased during recent years as consumers seek to make healthier lifestyle choices. However, the number of outbreaks associated with fresh produce that involve cases in more than one state (multistate) has increased concomitantly. As the distance along the farm-to-fork continuum has lengthened over time, there are also more opportunities for fresh produce contamination with bacterial pathogens before it reaches the consumer. This review provides an overview of the three bacterial pathogens (i.e., pathogenic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica) associated with multistate fresh produce outbreaks that occurred between 2010 and 2017 in the U.S. Possible routes of fresh produce contamination, including pre- and post-harvest, are summarized and outcomes of selected outbreaks within this timeframe are highlighted. Eighty-five multistate outbreaks linked to fresh produce with a confirmed etiology occurred from 2010 to 2017. Cross-contamination within the distribution chain and poor agricultural practices, along with the production of sprouts and importation of fresh produce were frequently implicated contributors to these events. The evolution of the food supply chain in the U.S. necessitates an examination of multistate outbreaks to shed light on factors that increase the scale of these events.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02667/fullmultistatefoodborne outbreaksproduceE. coliL. monocytogenesS. enterica
spellingShingle Christina K. Carstens
Joelle K. Salazar
Charles Darkoh
Charles Darkoh
Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017
Frontiers in Microbiology
multistate
foodborne outbreaks
produce
E. coli
L. monocytogenes
S. enterica
title Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017
title_full Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017
title_fullStr Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017
title_full_unstemmed Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017
title_short Multistate Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States Associated With Fresh Produce From 2010 to 2017
title_sort multistate outbreaks of foodborne illness in the united states associated with fresh produce from 2010 to 2017
topic multistate
foodborne outbreaks
produce
E. coli
L. monocytogenes
S. enterica
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02667/full
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AT charlesdarkoh multistateoutbreaksoffoodborneillnessintheunitedstatesassociatedwithfreshproducefrom2010to2017
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