Contaminated lettuce sickens dozens, local distributing company talks about its own vetting process

The Centers for Disease Control has tracked 121 people who have become ill after consuming Romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli.

Earlier this month, the first death was reported in California.

The tainted lettuce comes from Yuma, Arizona, one of two places that provides most lettuce for the entire country.

Rene Campos, operations manager for Segovia’s Distributing in El Paso, said contamination typically comes from the water being used in the fields where lettuce is grown.

“It’s (E. coli) usually transferred onto the product and very rarely do you see it grown into the product, so it’s always external,” Campos said.

Segovia’s delivers to about 500 businesses in the region, and about half of its deliveries are in El Paso. Campos said the company receives up to 2,000 boxes of Romaine and iceberg lettuce per week.

Segovia’s currently receives its shipment from Salinas, California and has not received any of the tainted lettuce.

“About half the year, the lettuce is grown and produced in Yuma and as the season migrates, it comes from Salinas, California,” Campos said.

If one does consume tainted lettuce, Dr. Leo Loaiza from Del Sol Medical Center’s emergency room, recommended consulting a doctor immediately.

Symptoms can be felt three to four days and include bloody diarrhea, severe cramps and vomiting.

The CDC said most E. coli bacteria are not harmful, but some produce toxins that cause the severe illness.

Campos said Segovia’s has an FDA-approved vetting process to help keep potentially-tainted produce from ending up in homes.

Segovia’s requires vendors to show food safety documentation from the fields where the produce is grown.

The vendors and its produce are inspected by a third party and ensure that the water used for irrigation is from a safe site, and that all employees are following sanitary procedures when handling produce.

“With these procedures in place, we are still relying on the farms to do their job and their due diligence so when we get the lettuce, it’s a secure product,” Campos said.

In the event contaminated produce ends up at Segovia’s warehouse, a recall system immediately informs Segovia’s customers to take it off its shelves and alert consumers.

Campos said the company conducts mock recalls twice a year to make sure Segovia’s system is updated and functional.

He said the last major recalls for Segovia’s were in 2007 with contaminated spinach and 2012 when Segovia’s had to recall tainted cucumbers.

“They (recalls) happen quite often, but we’ve been fortunate that the product hasn’t reached us,” said Campos of the recent lettuce contamination.

“Even if you buy the salad that is supposed to be pre-washed, it’s better to wash it again at home. There’s never a second wash that will damage the product,” Dr. Loaiza said.