The recent outbreak of E. coli in spinach from California exposed a weakness in the nation’s food chain.

DEADLY EFFICIENCY: A system that quickly delivers meat, fruits and vegetables to consumers just as easily can spread potentially deadly bacteria.

NATIONWIDE OUTBREAK: Like most food, spinach travels from the field to a central facility where it mixes with spinach from other fields – if any is tainted, the threat to people is amplified as leaves are washed, dried, bagged and shipped throughout the country.