CDC Alert: Throw out all Romaine Lettuce in the United States

MikePTY
MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Due to a multi state outbreak of E.Coli in romaine lettuce, the Centers for Disease Control is recommending that all individuals and restaurants do not eat/serve romaine lettuce until they can further identify the cause of the outbreak, and to throw away any you may have. From the alert:
CDC is advising that U.S. consumers not eat any romaine lettuce, and retailers and restaurants not serve or sell any, until we learn more about the outbreak. This investigation is ongoing and the advice will be updated as more information is available.

Consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce in their home should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick.
This advice includes all types or uses of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.
If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.
Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine was stored. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.
Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing romaine.
Take action if you have symptoms of an E. coli infection:
Talk to your healthcare provider.
Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
Report your illness to the health department.
Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

You can read more of the alert here: https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/index.html

Replies

  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    edited November 2018
    AGAIN? Well there go my *kitten* Wendy's spicy chicken Caesar salads :grumble:

    (Truly hoping no one else gets seriously ill and/or dies, despite my flippant comment)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Thanks for the post. I hadn't heard this news yet. Glad it's just romaine, since I've got a lot of spring mix in the fridge!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I've got two huge bags of romaine. Crap. I want a refund!
  • PennyP312
    PennyP312 Posts: 161 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I've got two huge bags of romaine. Crap. I want a refund!

    Same! Ugh was gonna use for thanksgiving. Hoping Costco will take them back
  • olive1968
    olive1968 Posts: 148 Member
    So much for that salad I just ate...
  • kelly_c_77
    kelly_c_77 Posts: 5,658 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I've got two huge bags of romaine. Crap. I want a refund!

    SAME! I just bought 4 bags of the 3 pks of romaine hearts! Grrr!!!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    kelly_c_77 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I've got two huge bags of romaine. Crap. I want a refund!

    SAME! I just bought 4 bags of the 3 pks of romaine hearts! Grrr!!!

    I'm going to see if WalMart will take mine back...

  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Sigh. One thing about being strictly kosher is being meticulous to avoid eating bugs. Which means I usually buy my lettuce/cabbage prechecked. (And generally prechecked frozen broccoli/cauliflower/spinach/Brussels sprouts). The company that does the checking and then hermetically seals the produce in bags for shipping and distribution is based in the US. Looks like I'm not buying any bags of romaine this week...
  • kelly_c_77
    kelly_c_77 Posts: 5,658 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    kelly_c_77 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I've got two huge bags of romaine. Crap. I want a refund!

    SAME! I just bought 4 bags of the 3 pks of romaine hearts! Grrr!!!

    I'm going to see if WalMart will take mine back...

    I'm going to see about returning mine too. Although I already ate some. :|
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited November 2018
    kelly_c_77 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    kelly_c_77 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I've got two huge bags of romaine. Crap. I want a refund!

    SAME! I just bought 4 bags of the 3 pks of romaine hearts! Grrr!!!

    I'm going to see if WalMart will take mine back...

    I'm going to see about returning mine too. Although I already ate some. :|

    I had to text the kiddo and tell him to stay out of it. He makes a Olive Garden knock-off salad with it almost every day. He said he hasn't had any since this weekend, though, so he's probably good.
  • kelly_c_77
    kelly_c_77 Posts: 5,658 Member
    Just called and they will take it back!! You're all set!
    Glad he hasn't eaten any!
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Just heard back from Bodek (the company that kosher-certifies produce).

    They lab-tested their romaine and it is SAFE!!!!!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Threw away the remainder of the romaine I had but I already ate about half of the bag. Nifty.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    Thanks for the post. I hadn't heard this news yet. Glad it's just romaine, since I've got a lot of spring mix in the fridge!

    Spring mix usually contains romaine. Check your label. Mine did.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    For the Canadians amongst us. This applies to us too.
    There have been reports from the east coast so far.

    Cheers, h.
This discussion has been closed.

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