News & Events

Holiday sales are just one bellwether for Maine’s grocery stores and supermarkets going into 2019, according to Christine Cummings. “I’m hopeful that momentum from a strong holiday season will continue into 2019,” said the executive director of the Maine Grocers & Food Producers Association, a trade group representing nearly 200 of the state’s grocers, supermarkets, food and beverage producers and related vendors.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state authorities, continues to investigate a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with consumption of romaine lettuce in the U.S. As of Nov. 26, 2018, this outbreak has resulted in 43 people becoming ill in 12 states, with the last reported illness onset date being Oct. 31, 2018. An additional 22 people in Canada have become ill, and the FDA and our partners are also coordinating the investigation with Canadian health and food safety authorities.

As we continue to investigate this outbreak, today the FDA is announcing new steps to help consumers better identify where their romaine is grown through voluntary labeling.

To learn more visit the FDA’s website.