CDC Says to Stop Eating Romaine Lettuce Immediately
Just like this past April, the CDC is once again warning consumers to stay away from romaine lettuce due to an E.coli outbreak. “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 CDC explains in their announcement on Tuesday.
This warning is in effect for all romaine lettuce all over the country. It doesn’t matter if you have a head of romaine in your fridge, if it’s an ingredient in a bagged salad, or if you’re eating it at a restaurant, you should avoid the leafy green at all costs. “If you don’t know if it’s romaine or can’t confirm the source, don’t eat it,” the CDC says on Twitter.
The CDC is looking into an outbreak that has led to reports of 32 illnesses in the following 11 states so far:
- California
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Wisconsin
Apparently this particular strain of E.coli — the Shiga toxin-producing variety — can lead to kidney failure. So far 13 people in the United States have been hospitalized, including one person who reportedly suffered from some form kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Eighteen people in Canada have fallen ill. No deaths have been reported.
If you were planning on using romaine lettuce for your Thanksgiving dinner, toss it and pick a new green instead (sorry, salad-lovers). And make sure to cook your turkey all the way through, due to the recent salmonella outbreak.