Only Romaine Lettuce from Parts of California Off-Limits, Warns CDC

(stock photo)

By edhat staff

Only romaine lettuce from the central coast of California is unsafe to eat, but the romaine lettuce currently entering the market will be labeled to provide consumers with information on when and where it was grown, federal health officials stated Monday.

If romaine lettuce was grown and harvested outside California, it is now deemed safe to eat. However, if consumers, retailers, restaurants, and other food service facilities cannot determine where the romaine was grown, it should not be eaten and thrown away. Even if someone had already eaten it and did not get sick, wrote Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, in a lengthy statement.

FDA officials said the most likely source of contamination is from the Central Coast growing regions in northern and central California. While no common grower, supplier, distributor or brand of romaine lettuce have been identified, the majority of the country’s romaine lettuce is grown in Monterey and San Benito Counties. Romaine made up more than half of the leafy greens grown in Monterey County. In 2017, growers produced more than 40 million cartons of romaine lettuce, according to the Salinas Californian.

Romaine lettuce harvested outside California’s central coast “does not appear to be related to the current outbreak,” the FDA said. Hydroponically grown and greenhouse-grown romaine also does not appear to be affected in the outbreak. Romaine from those sources is safe to eat, the FDA said.

Several lettuce producers agreed to label products with a harvest date by region, and new romaine from other growing regions, including Florida and Arizona, is being restocked in grocery shelves.

The number of people sickened by the outbreak has grown to 43 people in 12 states. Sixteen of those people have been hospitalized, including one person with severe kidney failure, however, no deaths have been reported.

The illnesses are caused by contamination of an E. coli strain known as O157:H7. It produces a Shiga toxin that in severe cases can lead to kidney failure.

Two days before Thanksgiving, the CDC released a broad warning advising consumers to throw away all romaine lettuce. Since that warning, harvesting of romaine has ended and shifted to the winter growing regions, which include the California desert region of the Imperial Valley, the desert region of Arizona, and Florida. Romaine lettuce grown in Mexico is exported to the United States during the winter months. Smaller quantities are grown in other states, Gottlieb’s statement said.

“At this time, the FDA has no information to suggest any of these growing areas are involved in the current outbreak, which began well before any romaine lettuce from these winter growing locations was available for harvest,” Gottlieb’s statement said. This also includes hydroponically grown and greenhouse-grown romaine.

In a separate update and statement, the CDC said “it may take some time” before the new labels on romaine products are available. If the romaine lettuce is not labeled with a harvest growing region, do not buy, serve, sell or eat it, the CDC said. This includes all types or uses of romaine, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of pre-cut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.

The latest update from the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department can be found here.