One of the arguments against the additional regulations was that there had never been an outbreak tied to the rarer strains of E. coli. This new outbreak, however, “might act as a catalyst,” James Marsden, a professor of food safety and security at Kansas State University, said about the outbreak and recall. “Clearly its back on the front burner, that’s for sure, and clearly USDA is under pressure.”

FSIS has previously said that it was reluctant to make additional forms of E. coli illegal in ground beef until a rapid test that could detect the strains was made available. Those tests are expected to be available late next year.
In a written statement to the Times, FSIS Undersecretary Dr. Elizabeth Hagen said, “In order to best prevent illnesses and deaths from dangerous E. coli in beef, our policies need to evolve to address a broader range of these pathogens, beyond E.coli O157:H7. Our approach should ensure that public health and food safety policy keeps pace with the demonstrated advances in science and data about food-borne illness to best protect consumers.”