The media was the main source of information as the investigation of E. coli OI57:H7 spinach outbreak of August and September 2006 unfolded.The final total was 205 cases in 26 states. Numerous experts representing different groups speculated as to thecause of the outbreak, its impact, and possible preventative and control measures for the future. On a daily basis, the public was informed through short news items in which the opinions of spokespersons and self-declared experts were stated but sometimes differed. Comments included trust in the spinach industry, organic spinach production, environmental contamination sources, processing decontamination strategies, tracking leafy green products, improvements to foodborne surveillance and the governmentoversight system, and the impact of this information on consumers' attitudes to spinach. Two issues arising from these media statements in retrospect are (1) what qualifies an expert to speak on these issues, and (2) how do journalists extract criticalstatements that are newsworthy and still convey the experts' main messages. In major outbreaks such as this one, official government reports are not going to be completed until well after the heightened awareness of the event. Thus the role of industry spokespersons, appropriate government officials, and the media in communicating information to the public is critical to help consumers make informed decisions for themselves and their families without demonizing or exonerating those most immediately involved. Unfortunately, in this outbreak the means of transmission to the spinach was not determined, although the investigation identified a cattle farm, a wild pig and surface water as sources of the implicated E. coli O157:H7 strain. Six months after theoutbreak, the industry has agreed to create a uniform approach to good agricultural practices to anticipate and prevent future contamination of leafy greens, and at the same time try and recoup losses by promoting their products in an attempt to win back public acceptance. In addition, spinach and lettuce growers may have to deal with stricter state and federal governments standards, which will be an additional financial burden.
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