Are Businesses Selling Romaine Lettuce Again

SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "Today, we are providing an important update into our investigation of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses which have sickened more than 40 people in 16 states. Our investigation has led us to farms in Salinas, California and while the FDA is sending investigators there to look for the source of contamination, nosotros are updating our advice today to assist protect the public health and to assist ensure we comprise this outbreak. Consumers should non eat whatsoever romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California. If romaine lettuce does not have labeling information for its growing area or the source cannot be confirmed, consumers should not eat or use the romaine. Restaurants and retailers should non serve or sell romaine lettuce if they cannot ostend it is from exterior Salinas. Suppliers, distributors and other supply chain partners should also not sell or transport whatsoever romaine lettuce from Salinas. At this fourth dimension, at that place is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine harvested from other sources exterior of Salinas or labeled as indoor, or hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown," said Deputy Commissioner for Nutrient Policy and Response Frank Yiannas. "Through Dna-fingerprinting, nosotros have been able to associate this outbreak with past outbreaks. Whatsoever outbreak is a tragedy and everyone across the supply chain must do more to protect consumers. The lessons we have learned from previous romaine-linked outbreaks and the adoption of labeling and traceability best practices past many in the industry have facilitated our traceback efforts and helped us target our advice to a divers harvest region. Our goal with today'southward advice is to limit exposure and aid prevent additional people from becoming ill. Only one time over again, this investigation also reinforces our recommendations that we accept fabricated to the leafy light-green manufacture: producers must continue to review their practices and all segments of the supply concatenation must ameliorate traceability to enhance nutrient safety. The FDA remains committed to improving the condom of leafy greens and traceability from subcontract to fork."

The U.S Food and Drug Assistants, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health government are investigating an outbreak of illnesses caused past E. coli O157:H7 in the U.S. Epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback evidence indicates that romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California growing region is a likely source of this outbreak.

Consumers:

Consumers should not swallow romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California. Additionally, consumers should not consume products identified in the call back announced by the USDA on November 21, 2019.

Romaine lettuce may be voluntarily labeled with a harvest region. If romaine lettuce has "Salinas" on the label in any class (whether solitary or with the name of another location) do not eat it. Throw it abroad or return it to the place of purchase. If romaine lettuce does non have information well-nigh harvest region or does not indicate that it has been grown indoors (i.e., hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown), throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. Consumers ordering salad containing romaine at a restaurant or at a salad bar should ask the staff whether the romaine came from Salinas. If information technology did, or they do not know, exercise non swallow it.

At this time, romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of the Salinas region has not been implicated in this outbreak investigation. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine, which is voluntarily labeled as "indoor grown," from any region does not announced to exist related to the current outbreak. There is no recommendation for consumers to avoid using romaine harvested from these other sources.

Restaurants and Retailers:

Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell romaine harvested from Salinas, California. If you lot exercise not know the source of your romaine lettuce, and if you cannot obtain that information from your supplier, you should not serve, nor sell information technology.

Suppliers and Distributors:

Suppliers, distributors and others in the supply chain should not transport or sell romaine harvested in Salinas, California. If the source of the romaine lettuce is unknown, you should not send, nor sell the product.

For Restaurants, Retailers, Suppliers and Distributors:

Currently, the FDA does not have enough traceback information to identify the specific source of the contamination that would allow united states to asking a targeted retrieve from specific growers. At this stage in the investigation, the most efficient fashion to ensure that contaminated romaine is off the market would exist for industry to voluntarily withdraw product grown in Salinas, and to withhold distribution of Salinas romaine for the remainder of the growing season in Salinas. The FDA has made this request of industry.

The Salinas region every bit defined by the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association Romaine Taskforce Written report includes: Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito and Monterey counties in California.

Genetic assay of the Due east. coli O157:H7 strains from patients in this current outbreak are similar to strains of East. coli O157:H7 associated with a previous outbreak from the fall of 2017 and the fall of 2018 that affected consumers in both Canada and the U.Due south. The 2017 outbreak of Due east. coli O157:H7 was associated with leafy greens in the U.South. and romaine in Canada. The 2018 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 was associated with romaine in both countries.

Updated Case Counts:

Full Illnesses: forty
Hospitalizations: 28
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: November 10, 2019
States with Cases: AZ (2), CA (4), CO (1), ID (3), IL (1), Dr. (3), MI (1), MN (1), MT (1), NJ (1), NM (2), OH (5), PA (3), VA (1), WA (one), WI (ten)

For more information:

• FDA Outbreak Investigation Page
• CDC Outbreak Page
• FSIS Retrieve Page
• Maryland Section of Health Press Release
• FDA – Due east. coli
• CDC – E. coli (STEC)

The FDA, an bureau within the U.S. Department of Health and Homo Services, protects the public health by assuring the prophylactic, effectiveness, and security of homo and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The bureau besides is responsible for the rubber and security of our nation'southward food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Media Inquiries: Peter Cassell, 240-402-6537, [e-mail protected]; Amanda Turney, 301.796.2969,[electronic mail protected]

SOURCE U.South. Nutrient and Drug Administration

Related Links

http://www.fda.gov

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