While investigating the causes of a sizable E. coli outbreak that occurred in the United Kingdom in 2022, a team of researchers revealed some surprising potential connections between climate change and food contamination. 

What's happening?

After the 2022 outbreak that saw 259 reported cases of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli, or STEC, researchers traced the contamination back to lettuce that was tainted with sheep feces. 

As noted in their findings published by the journal Eurosurveillance, the team pinpointed a heavy rainfall event that may have washed the sheep feces onto a lettuce grower's land. Leveraging archived weather data, the researchers were able to connect the dots. 

"Using new techniques, we were able to use weather data (rainfall and temperature), information about how land is used and information about the location of sheep to better understand the events that led to the outbreak and the location of the lettuce grower," the report states.

The researchers used the historic data to evaluate whether climate change may have played a role in the outbreak. Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently and more intensely due to rising global temperatures, so any connection there could be a public health concern.

"Climate change will have increasing impacts on our health and food security," the researchers wrote. "We expect to see more heavy rainfall events. The lettuce incriminated in this outbreak may have been contaminated by heavy rainfall and flooding, transporting STEC from animal faeces to crops in fields. Our new techniques could help to predict and prevent future outbreaks and inform risk assessments and risk management for farmers growing fresh produce for people to eat."

Why are changing weather patterns important?

According to the study, this specific region in the U.K. saw over four inches of rain on Aug. 16, 2022. This was preceded by a period of unusually dry weather — another potential factor in the spread of contamination. 

The research here suggests climate change may have been a significant driver of the E. coli outbreak. And anomalies in weather patterns could contribute to future contaminations, posing a challenge to the food supply and overall well-being. 

With global temperatures continuing to rise, it's expected that weather patterns will be further altered. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that higher temperatures will lead to an increase in severe weather events, jeopardizing human life and whole ecosystems.   

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What's being done about changing weather patterns?

We are certainly already feeling the effects of climate change, but these researchers say their study could be invaluable to the prevention of future climate-related E. coli outbreaks. 

"Our new techniques could help to predict and prevent future outbreaks and inform risk assessments and risk management for farmers growing fresh produce for people to eat," the researchers wrote. 

And, by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, it's possible that we may be able to cool down our planet and mitigate the effects of global warming. The dramatic increase of temperatures can be linked to human activity since the 1800s, per NASA — so humans can do something about it. 

You can help in several different ways by making small changes at home. By switching to an electric vehicle and opting for renewable energy sources, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. 

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