Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) entered the lexicon of foodborne pathogens in the mid-1980s. Initially associated primarily with meat contamination, STEC-contaminated produce products broke onto the food safety scene in 1996 when consumers became sick from drinking unpasteurized Odwalla-brand apple juice.
In the wake of the recent recall of E. coli-tainted romaine lettuce, the National Consumers League (NCL), Washington, D.C., said it is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set minimum sanitary and safety standards for the "unregulated but crucial" pallets that are used to transport food throughout the United States.
