Outbreak of E coli strain in Costco chicken salad linked to vegetables

The E coli outbreak linked to Costco chicken salads seems to have been caused by vegetables in the salad, and not by chicken.

The US Food and Drug Administration and Montana health officials conducted tests, which traced the E coli to an onion and celery mix.

Costco vice-president of food safety and quality assurance Craig Wilson told USA Today that health officials are conducting further tests to confirm this association.

The vegetables used in the rotisserie chicken were supplied by Taylor Farms Pacific.

Following the FDA tests that showed that the celery and onion diced blend was positive with E coli 0157:H7, California-based Taylor Farm Pacific has recalled a long list of products that may include celery, and which may be tainted with the bacterium.

Earlier this week, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US stated that 19 people from seven states were infected with an outbreak strain of E coli O157:H7 as a result of consuming Costco Rotisserie Chicken Salad.

Of these, five people have been hospitalised, while two have developed a serious kidney problem, called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

However, so far, no deaths have been reported, according to CDC.

Illnesses have been reported from California (1), Colorado (4), Missouri (1), Montana (6), Utah (5), Virginia (1), and Washington (1).

Illnesses were reported to have begun on dates ranging from 6 October to 3 November, and those who fell ill were in the age range of five to 84. Illnesses that occurred after 10 November might not be reported yet due to a delay in confirmation and reporting.

It was stated earlier this week that the epidemiologic evidence showed that rotisserie chicken salad made and sold in Costco Wholesale stores in several states could be the source of this outbreak. Around 88% of those affected ate rotisserie chicken salad from Costco in the week before the illness started.