Romaine Lettuce Warning In NY As E.coli Linked To California Crop

NEW YORK – A nationwide E.coli outbreak has forced the Centers for Disease Control to warn people not to eat romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California, including products that were shipped to New York.

After multiple illnesses across the country, the CDC is advising consumers not to eat, and retailers not to sell, crops from the area.

Most romaine lettuce products are now labeled with a harvest location showing where they were grown.

The advice is intended for all types of lettuce products: whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, packages of pre-cut lettuce, salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.

Anyone who has romaine lettuce in their homes should check the packaging to see if “Salinas” is listed on the label. If it does, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to throw away the products and not eat them.

If a salad does not have the harvesting region listed on it, the agency’s advice is to throw it away.

In connection with the E.coli outbreak, a number of salad products were previously recalled for possible contamination. The recalled products have “use by” dates ranging from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. The recalled products were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

A total of 40 people have become sick in the outbreak in 16 states. No illnesses have yet been reported in New York.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of E.coli infection vary from person to person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting.

You can find more information about symptoms of E.coli infection via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reported by Feroze Dhanoa/Patch