In the past few years, there have been an unprecedented number of fresh produce contamination-related severe illnesses and deaths in the United States. A large number of these deaths and illnesses start from spinach. In 2006, there was a huge E. coli tainted Dole bagged spinach that generated “205 E. coli illnesses, including 31 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, 104 hospitalizations, and 4 deaths. (Source)”
To be vigilant, the contamination warning to the public was broad and told everyone who had purchased these particular products to throw them out or be watchful for illnesses. The bagged spinach traced back to one plant… eventually. Because of the lack of technology in the food industry, this could have been more specific and saved a large amount of food and panic in the public.
The use of RFID-enabled food tracking systems can save many lives and illnesses in the food industry. Find out more about using RFID Track and Trace technology and how data in distribution is hugely positively affected by clicking the button below.
Keep Reading…