--- title: "Bill Marler, E. coli Advocate: Romaine Industry needs to put Consumers First" date: 2019-11-26T17:53:00-08:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/bill-marler-e-coli-advocate-romaine-industry-needs-to-put-consumers-first" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Press Releases](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/press-releases) / # Bill Marler, E. coli Advocate: Romaine Industry needs to put Consumers First ***CDC and FDA announce more illnesses in another E. coli Outbreak tied to leafy greens.*** SEATTLE, WA - “With more illnesses, now with at least six with acute kidney failure, it is past time for the leafy green industry to put the health, safety and lives of consumers first,” said Marler Clark managing partner, Bill Marler. “Since the early 2000’s the industry has pushed prepackaged leafy greens on consumers without adequately addressing the root causes of many of these outbreaks – environmental contamination from cattle,” added Marler. According to Marler, “It is past time for all stakeholders: growers, processors and retailers of leafy greens to work with the cattle and dairy industries, along with local, state and federal health agencies to come to a solution to this ongoing and systemic environmental problem. We cannot allow *E. coli* illnesses and deaths to continue to be ‘a cost of doing business.’” According to the CDC, since the previous update on November 22, an additional 27 ill people have been reported. As of November 25, 2019, a total of 67 people infected with the outbreak strain of *E. coli* O157:H7 have been reported from 19 states: Arizona (3), California (4), Colorado (1), Idaho (3), Illinois (1), Maryland (4), Michigan (1), Minnesota (3), Montana (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (2), Ohio (12), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (3), Texas (2), Virginia (2), Washington (1) and Wisconsin (21). ![A picture containing text, map Description automatically generated](blob:https://marlerclark.com/569b7fbc-8549-4cf4-89b0-6fb1b5f58db3) Illnesses started on dates ranging from September 24, 2019, to November 14, 2019. Ill people range in age from 3 to 89 years, with a median age of 25. Sixty-seven percent of ill people are female. Of 50 ill people with information available, 39 hospitalizations have been reported, including six people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. One case has been reported in Canada Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicate that romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California, growing region is the likely source of this outbreak. This includes Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito, and Monterey counties in California. FDA and states continue to trace the source of the romaine lettuce eaten by ill people. Preliminary information indicates that some of the ill people ate lettuce grown in Salinas, California. No common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified. CDC continues to advise that consumers not eat, and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California. The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products are linked to illness. The Maryland Department of Health identified *E. coli* O157:H7 in an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro® Chicken Caesar Salad collected from an ill person’s home in Maryland. Analysis of this salad, through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), has linked strain *E. coli* O157:H7 to three Maryland cases and the multi-state outbreak. On Nov. 21, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) [announced a recall](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2019/recall-115-2019-release) by Missa Bay, LLC, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, of approximately 75,233 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with *E. coli* 0157:H7. Products in this recall were produced with the same lot of lettuce that was used to produce the packaged salad that the Maryland Department of Health found to contain *E. coli* 0157:H7. The products subject to the recall can be found in a [spreadsheet](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/7f4bf949-abbe-4bed-b1c9-9c9760c38c33/rc-115-2019-retail-list.pdf?MOD=AJPERES) on the FSIS website. FSIS will likely update the poundage as more information becomes available. FSIS has posted product labels on its [website](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/b35d8943-d386-49cf-8f80-6854159dc7f6/115-2019-labels.pdf?MOD=AJPERES). The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 18502B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. This outbreak is caused by the same strain of *E. coli* O157:H7 that caused outbreaks linked to leafy greens in [2017](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2017/o157h7-12-17/index.html) and to romaine lettuce in [2018](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/index.html). Here is just a sample of E. coli outbreaks based on information gathered by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Kansas State University, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is very likely that there are other outbreaks that the CDC and FDA did not make public. **Date** **Vehicle** **Etiology** **Confirmed Cases** **States & Provinces** July 1995 Lettuce (leafy green; red; romaine) *E. coli* O157:H7 74 1:MT Sept. 1995 Lettuce (romaine) *E. coli* O157:H7 20 1:ID Sept. 1995 Lettuce (iceberg) *E. coli* O157:H7 30 1:ME Oct. 1995 Lettuce (iceberg; unconfirmed) *E. coli* O157:H7 11 1:OH May-June 1996 Lettuce (mesclun; red leaf) *E. coli* O157:H7 61 3:CT, IL, NY May 1998 Salad *E. coli* O157:H7 2 1:CA Feb.-Mar. 1999 Lettuce (iceberg) *E. coli* O157:H7 72 1:NE Oct. 1999 Salad *E. coli* O157:H7 92 3:OR, PA, OH Oct. 2000 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 6 1:IN Nov. 2001 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 20 1:TX July-Aug. 2002 Lettuce (romaine) *E. coli* O157:H7 29 2:WA, ID Nov. 2002 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 13 1:Il Dec. 2002 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 3 1:MN Oct. 2003-May 2004 Lettuce (mixed salad) *E. coli* O157:H7 57 1:CA Apr. 2004 Spinach *E. coli* O157:H7 16 1:CA Nov. 2004 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 6 1:NJ Sept. 2005 Lettuce (romaine) *E. coli* O157:H7 32 3:MN, WI, OR Sept. 2006 Spinach (baby) *E. coli* O157:H7 and other serotypes 205 Multistate and Canada Nov./Dec. 2006 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 71 4:NY, NJ, PA, DE Nov./Dec. 2006 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 81 3:IA, MN, WI July 2007 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 26 1:AL May 2008 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 9 1:WA Oct. 2008 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 59 Multistate and Canada Nov. 2008 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 130 Canada Sept. 2009 Lettuce: Romaine or Iceberg *E. coli* O157:H7 29 Multistate Sept. 2009 Lettuce *E. coli* O157:H7 10 Multistate April 2010 Romaine *E. coli* O145 33 5:MI, NY, OH, PA, TN Oct. 2011 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 60 Multistate April 2012 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 28 1:CA Canada June 2012 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 52 Multistate Sept. 2012 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 9 1:PA Oct. 2012 Spinach and Spring Mix Blend *E. coli* O157:H7 33 Multistate Apr. 2013 Leafy Greens *E. coli* O157:H7 14 Multistate Aug. 2013 Leafy Greens *E. coli* O157:H7 15 1:PA Oct. 2013 Ready-To-Eat Salads *E. coli* O157:H7 33 Multistate Apr. 2014 Romaine *E. coli* O126 4 1:MN Apr. 2015 Leafy Greens *E. coli* O145 7 3:MD, SC, VA June 2016 Mesclun Mix *E. coli* O157:H7 11 3:IL, MI, WI Nov. 2017 Leafy Greens *E. coli* O157:H7 67 Multistate and Canada Mar. 2018 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 219 Multistate and Canada Nov. 2018 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 91 Multistate and Canada Sept. 2019 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 23 Multistate Nov. 2019 Romaine *E. coli* O157:H7 68 Multistate and Canada [Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm](http://www.marlerclark.com/), is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and [hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)](http://www.about-hus.com/). The [E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark](http://www.marlerclark.com/practice_areas/view/e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-litigation) have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $700 million for clients in the last 25 years. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as [Brianne Kiner](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/health/28excerpt.html), [Stephanie Smith](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all) and [Linda Rivera](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/31/AR2009083103922.html). Managing partner, [Bill Marler,](http://www.billmarler.com/) began litigating foodborne illness cases in 1993, when he represented Brianne Kiner, the most seriously injured survivor of the historic Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, in her landmark $15.6 million settlement with the company. The 2011 book, *Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the Way Americans Eat*, by best-selling author Jeff Benedict, chronicles the Jack in the Box outbreak and the rise of Bill Marler as a food safety attorney. ### Other E. coli Lawsuits [Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [10 with E. coli linked to Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [Sycamore Pool in Chico California Contaminated with E.coli - Two teens in ICU](https://marlerclark.com/sycamore-pool-in-chico-california-contaminated-with-e-coli-two-teens-in-icu) [Deadly Nationwide E.coli Outbreak Linked to Grimmway Farms Organic Baby and Whole Carrots sickens 48](https://marlerclark.com/nationwide-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-grimmway-farms-organic-baby-and-whole-carrots) [E. coli Outbreak tied to Red Cow and Hen House Restaurants](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-tied-to-red-cow-and-hen-house-restaurants) [Rockwood Summit High School E. coli Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/rockwood-summit-high-school-e-coli-outbreak) [McDonalds linked to 104 E. coli cases and 1 Death](https://marlerclark.com/mcdonalds-linked-to-nearly-50-e-coli-cases-and-1-death) [2 dead with 22 injured in E. coli Hamburger Outbreak in Montana](https://marlerclark.com/1-dead-with-13-injured-in-e-coli-hamburger-outbreak-in-montana) [E. coli Outbreak in Washington and California linked to Walnuts](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-in-washington-and-california-linked-to-walnuts) [Seattle PCC Market E. coli outbreak linked to Guacamole](https://marlerclark.com/seattle-ppc-market-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-guacamole) [11 with E. coli linked to Raw Milk LLC Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/10-with-e-coli-linked-to-raw-milk-llc-cheese) [Miguel’s Cocina 4S Ranch E. coli Outbreak sickens 35](https://marlerclark.com/miguels-cocina-4s-ranch-e-coli-outbreak) ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit 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The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so... ###### [E. coli O157:H7](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in... ###### [Non-O157 STEC](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least... ###### [Sources of E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are... ###### [Transmission of and Infection with E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination... ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)