THE Health Ministry has advised of a recall in the United States of the Tanimura & Antle brand of packaged single-head romaine lettuce, due to possible E coli bacteria contamination.
As a result, the ministry said yesterday that until it provides clearance, supermarkets, restaurants and wholesalers should not offer the product for sale.
E coli 0157:H7 may cause diarrhoeal illness.
As such, if people are experiencing diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain or bloody stools after consumption of the lettuce, they should contact their nearest health institution, the ministry said.
The US Food and Drug Administration advised that “Tanimura & Antle Inc is voluntarily recalling its packaged single head romaine lettuce with a packed on date of 10/15/2020 or 10/16/2020, due to possible contamination”.
The Health Ministry, in a release last evening, said this recall was based on the test result of a random sample collected and analysed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as part of their routine sampling program. “Until clearance is provided by the Ministry of Health, supermarkets, restaurants and wholesalers should not offer for sale, in any form (eg, in salads mixes), romaine lettuce from the Tanimura & Antle brand,” the release said.
The ministry said although there are no reported cases in T&T of people consuming romaine lettuce and becoming ill, and it was out of an abundance of caution that the advisory is being issued to protect the health of consumers.
“If the package isn’t labelled, don’t eat the lettuce and discard/return to the place of purchase. If you don’t know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix or wrap contains romaine, don’t eat the lettuce and discard/return to the place of purchase. Wash and sanitise drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine lettuce was stored,” the ministry stated.
