Previously, E. coli contamination occurred at the place where food was served as opposed to the source of growing and production, Imperato said. "This outbreak and the spinach outbreak are really a newer development. We are now seeing contamination at the source of production," said Imperato, a former New York City health commissioner.

Since growing and distributing vegetables has become an "agribusiness," with fewer but larger growers, processors and distributors, there's more chance of contamination, Imperato added. Contamination can occur from irrigation, which can spread E. coli from neighboring animal grazing lots, and during the packaging in large plants. And that packaging increasingly relies on plastic bags, which create an ideal environment for bacteria such as E. colito grow, he explained. "It's going to require more rigorous oversight and the implantation and adherence to standards from the time the crop is grown in the field through the entire processing of the product and its distribution," he added. (HealthDay News)

'People are going to have to realize that water is becoming a big problem. Much blame is being put on farmlands, yet little is being talked about what chlorine and other chemicals in city waters are doing to people's health. Humans must start thinking about the effects of global warming, water table lowering........and contamination happening from those causes.

Crew ships are being docked due to notovirus. Is it the food? Is it the water? Authentic Health Association puts this alert out so that people begin thinking about water. It is a must to not only protect our water sources for bathing as well as drinking. We have to begin to take actions that protect the water that we have on the planet, like oceans, rivers, etc. THINK WATER.........what can I do!' states Nancy Hicks