CDC: Don’t eat romaine lettuce

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, Canada, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce.

CDC today advised that U.S. consumers not eat any romaine lettuce, and retailers and restaurants not serve or sell any, until officiasls 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.

• 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:

• Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.

• Report your illness to the health department.

The latest outbreak includes 32 reported cases in 11 states. Thirteen people have been hospitalized.

No cases have been reported in Pennsylvania.