In a recent opinion piece in the Salt Lake Tribune, Hope Ferdowsian of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine writes about the source of E. coli contamination in fresh produce.
She points out that, "While news coverage has focused on the contamination of spinach and lettuce, not enough attention has been paid to one key source of E. coli: animal manure. E. coli 0157:H7 is naturally found in the intestines of cattle and some other animals. When livestock farms or ‘concentrated feeding operations’ foul groundwater or irrigation water, or a food handler with unwashed hands passes along his or her animal-borne infection, fruits and vegetables can become contaminated."