Taylor Farms in Salinas being investigated as the potential source of the deadly McDonald's E. coli outbreak caught many people by surprise, including the agricultural commissioner in Monterey County.
"It’s a little bit surprising I think because I think we have a pretty solid food safety program in the nation and especially here in California," Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo said. "From the fields, making sure the employees follow any safety requirements at that point, that they wear any personal protective equipment as they’re doing some of the harvesting activities to minimize any potential risk."
Hidalgo said those protocols extend inside the packing and processing plants – making sure the machines are always clean as well as the vegetables as they get processed for distribution.
Hidalgo said Taylor Farms is exemplary when it comes to following those strict protocols.
He applauded the company’s move to recall its onions out of an abundance of caution. Very few of its onions are grown in the Salinas Valley.
"I think that is the right move to make just to be on the safe side," Hidalgo said.
NBC Bay Area reached out to Taylor Farms but did not immediately hear back.
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