The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is advising that consumers not eat and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas, California growing region. This comes after a total of 40 people were infected with an outbreak strain of E. coli reported in 16 states. A total of 28 hospitalizations have been reported as a result of the outbreak, and five people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. Evidence collected to date indicate that romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California growing region may be what is making people sick.
Testing shows that the E. coli strain in romaine lettuce tested by the Maryland Department of Health is closely related genetically to the E. coli found in sick people in this outbreak. Most romaine lettuce products are labeled with a harvest location showing where they were grown. The CDC said the warning not to eat the product includes all types of romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and packages of pre cut lettuce and salad mixes containing romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad. If you have romaine lettuce at home, be sure to inspect it and throw it away if the label says “Salinas” (whether alone or with the name of another location). The CDC says it will release more information as it is available.
Reporting for WGRT, ebw.tv.
