Table 2.
Produce related foodborne outbreaks between 1997 and 2017.
| Food vehicle | Country | Pathogen | Number of cases | Number of hospitalizations | Deaths | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprouts (Alfalfa, raw clover) | US | Escherichia coli | 59 | 17 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| RTE salads | US | E. coli | 33 | 7 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Spinach and spring mix | US | E. coli | 33 | 13 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Lettuce | US | E. coli | 84 | 45 | 0 | CDC, 2016 |
| Hazelnuts | US | E. coli | 8 | 4 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Fresh spinach | US | E. coli | 199 | 102 | 3 | CDC, 2017 |
| Radish sprout | Japan | E. coli O157:H7 | 126 9451c |
NS | 13 | Gutierrez, 1997 |
| Spinach | Canada | E. coli O157:H7 | 1 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Lettuce (romaine) | Canada | E. coli O157:H7 | 29 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Spanish onions | Canada | E. coli O157:H7 | 235 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Watercress | UK | E. coli 0157 | NS | NS | NS | Wadamori et al., 2017 |
| Imported salad | UK | E. coli O157:H7 | 161 | 60 | 2 | Public health England, 2016 |
| Lettuce, cucumber | UK | E. coli 096 | 50 | NS | NS | Wadamori et al., 2017 |
| Packaged salads | US | Listeria monocytogenes | 19 | 19 | 1 | CDC, 2017 |
| Apples | US | L. monoctogenes | 35 | 34 | 7 | CDC, 2017 |
| Bean sprouts | US | L. monocytogenes | 5 | 5 | 2 | CDC, 2017 |
| Cantaloupe | US | L. monocytogenes | 147 | 143 | 33 | CDC, 2017 |
| Diced celery | US | L. monocytogenes | 10 | NS | 5 | Gaul et al., 2012 |
| Melons | US | L. monocytogenes | 147 | NS | 33 | CDC, 2016 |
| (pre packaged) caramel apples | US | L. monocytogenes | 35 | 31 | 7 | Garner and Kathariou 2016 |
| Corn salad | Italy | L. monocytogenes | 1566 | 292 | 0 | Twisselmann 2000 |
| Sprouts (Alfalfa, raw clover) | US | Salmonella spp. | 506 | 65 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Pistachios | US | Salmonella spp. | 11 | 2 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Cucumbers | US | Salmonella spp. | 991 | 221 | 6 | CDC, 2017 |
| Bean sprouts | US | Salmonella spp. | 115 | NS | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Mangoes | US | Salmonella spp. | 127 | 33 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Pine nuts | US | Salmonella spp. | 43 | 2 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Papayas | US | Salmonella | 106 | 10 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Maradol papaya | US | Salmonella Urbana | 7 | 4 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Maradol papaya | US | Salmonella Newport & Infantis | 4 | 2 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Maradol Papaya | US | Salmonella Anatum | 14 | 5 | 1 | CDC, 2017 |
| Maradol papaya | US | Salmonella | 210 | 67 | 1 | CDC, 2017 |
| Raw produce (Jalepenos and Serrano peppers) | US | Salmonella sp. | 1442 | 286 | 2 | CDC, 2017 |
| Cantaloupe | US | Salmonella sp. | 332 | 113 | 3 | CDC, 2017 |
| Tomatoes | US | Salmonella | 111 | 22 | 0 | CDC, 2017 |
| Tomatoes/peppers | US & Canada | Salmonella | 1442 | NS | NS | Warriner and Namvar, 2010 |
| Salads | UK | S. Singapore | 4 | NS | NS | Wadamori et al., 2017 |
| Sprouts (Alfalfa) | Australia | Salmonella | 100 | NS | NS | Warriner and Namvar, 2010 |
| Rock melon | Australia | S. Hvittingfoss | 97 | NS | NS | Wadamori et al., 2017 |
| (pre-packaged) lettuce | Australia | S. Anatum | 144 | NS | NS | Wadamori et al., 2017 |
| Sprouts (Alfalfa) | Canada | Salmonella | NS | NS | NS | Warriner and Namvar, 2010 |
| Fruit salad | Canada | Salmonella | NS | NS | NS | Warriner and Namvar, 2010 |
| Lettuce | Canada | E. coli | 34 | NS | NS | CDC, 2017 |
| Cantaloupes | Canada | Salmonella | NS | NS | NS | CDC, 2017 |
| Onion sprouts | Canada | S. Cubana | 20 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Sprouts (Alfalfa) | Canada | S. Meleagridis | 78 | NS | NS | Buck et al., 1998 |
| Cantaloupes | Canada | S. Poona | 2 | NS | NS | CDC, 2002 |
| Cucumbers | Canada | S. Brandenberg | 12 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Roma tomatoes (suspected) | Canada | S. Javiana | 7 | NS | NS | CDC, 2005 |
| Mung bean sprouts (suspected) | Canada | S. Enteritidis | 84 | NA | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Mung bean sprouts | Canada | S. Enteritidis | 8 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Baby spinach | Sweden | Salmonella Java | 177 | 46 | 0 | Denny et al., 2007 |
| Alfalfa sprouts | Sweden | Salmonella Stanley | 51 | 0 | 0 | Werner et al., 2007 |
| Baby carrots | Canada | Shigella sonnei | 4 | NS | NS | Warriner and Namvar, 2010 |
| Spinach | Canada | Shigella sonnei | 31 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Snow peas | Sweden | Shigella dysentriae | 35 | 0 | 0 | Mei soon et al., 2012 |
| Iceberg lettuce | Norway | Shigella sonnei | 110 | 0 | 0 | Kapperud et al., 1995 |
| Fresh sugar peas | Norway & Denmark | Shigella sonnei | 14 | 0 | 0 | Heier et al., 2009, Muller et al., 2009 |
| Baby corn (originated in Thailand) | Denmark | Shigella sonnei | 201 | 0 | 0 | Lewis et al., 2007 |
| Fresh vegetables (suspected) | New Zealand | Yersinia pseudotuberculosis | 334 | 65 | NS | Wadamori et al., 2017 |
| Raw carrots | Finland | Y. pseudotuberculosis | 125 | 0 | 0 | Takkinen et al., 2004 |
| Iceberg lettuce | Finland | Y. pseudotuberculosis | 47 | 16 | 1 | Nuorti et al., 2004 |
| Raspberries (imported from China) | Sweden | Norovirus | 433 30 c |
0 | 0 | Le Guyader et al., 2004, Hjertqvist et al., 2006 |
| Lettuce | Denmark | Norovirus | 260 | 0 | 0 | Ethelberg et al., 2010 |
| Frozen raspberries | Denmark | Norovirus | 561 1, 043c |
0 0 |
0 0 |
Korsager et al., 2005, Falkenhorst et al., 2005 |
| Frozen raspberries | France | Norovirus | 75 | 0 | 0 | Cotterelle et al., 2005 |
| Raspberries | Finland | Norovirus | ∼200 | NS | NS | Maunula et al., 2009 |
| Strawberries | Germany | Norovirus | ∼11 000 | NS | NS | Mäde et al., 2013, Bernard et al., 2014 |
| Strawberries | US | Hepatitis A | ∼1400 213 c |
NS | NS |
Niu et al., 1992; Hutin et al., 1999 |
| Green onions | US | Hepatitis | 43 600 c |
NS | NS | Dentinger et al., 2001, Frank et al., 2007 |
| Pomegranates | US | Hepatitis A | >150 | NS | NS | CDC 2013 |
| Blueberries | New Zealand | Hepatitis A | 81 | NS | NS | Calder et al., 2003 |
| Multiple produce | Canada | Hepatitis A | 3 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| RTE leafy greens | Canada | Hepatitis A | 16 | NS | NS | Heywood et al., 2007 |
| Green onions | US | Hepatitis A | 111 (inconclusive) | – | – | Wheeler et al., 2005 |
| Rucola salad | Sweden | Hepatitis A | 54 | 0 | 0 | Nygard et al., 2001 |
| Frozrn raspberries | Finland | Calicivirus | 509b | 0 | 0 | Ponka et al., 1999 |
| Basil (imported from Thailand via the US) | Canada | Cyclospora cayetanensis | 17 | NS | NS | Hoang et al., 2005 |
| Cilantro (suspected) | Canada | C. cayetanensis | 11 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Mango/Basil (suspected) | Canada | C. cayetanensis | 17 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Basil | Canada | C. cayetanensis | 200 | NS | NS | Kozak et al., 2013 |
| Fresh parsley in sauce | Sweden | Cryptosporidium sp. | 21 | 3 | 0 | Insulander et al., 2008 |
| Whole carrots used in salad | Denmark | Cryptosporidium hominis | 78 | 0 | 0 | Ethelberg et al., 2005 |
| Cantaloupes | Mexico | Salmonella | NS | NS | NS | CDC, 2017 |
| Basil | United Kingdom | Salmonella | 32 | NS | NS | Warriner and Namvar, 2010 |
| Raw water cress | France | Fasciola hepatica | 18 | NS | NS | Mailles et al., 2006, World Health Organization, 2008 |
Keynote: NS- Not Specified, US- United States of America, RTE- Ready-to-eat, b-reported gastrointestinal symptoms, c-figures from 2 separate outbreaks.