‘Throw it away’: CDC issues new warning about romaine lettuce due to E. coli outbreak

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - The CDC is issuing a new warning about romaine lettuce due to an E. coli outbreak in the United States.

Health experts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now advising that consumers should not eat any romaine lettuce, and said retailers and restaurants should not serve it, after 32 people became ill from E. coli between Oct. 8 and Oct. 31.

“The 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,” according to a CDC alert. “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.”

The Food and Drug Administration says it’s working with officials in Canada, where people are also being warned to stay away from romaine lettuce. The strain identified is different than the one linked to romaine earlier this year, but it appears similar to one linked to leafy greens last year.

The new warning includes all kinds of romaine lettuce, including whole heads, hearts, bags and boxes of pre-cut romaine, as well as salad mixes containing romaine.

“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,” the CDC said. “Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine was stored. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.”

So far, the CDC says people in 11 states have become sick — but the alert is effective nationwide.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the agency doesn’t yet have enough information to request suppliers issue a recall. But he says suppliers can help by withdrawing romaine products until the contamination can be identified.

No deaths have been reported.

“Illnesses that occurred after October 30, 2018, might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill with E. coli infection and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of two to three weeks,” the CDC’s alert said.

Tracing the source of contaminated lettuce can be difficult because it’s often repackaged by middlemen, said Sarah Sorscher, deputy director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. That can mean the entire industry becomes implicated in outbreaks, even if not all products are contaminated.

Washing lettuce won’t ensure that contaminated lettuce is safe, Sorscher said.

Most E. coli bacteria are benign but some can cause illness, with symptoms including severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Most people recover within a week, but some illnesses can last longer and be more severe.

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