CDC Issues E. coli Warning Over California-Grown Romaine Lettuce

After dozens of illnesses were connected to a multi-state E. coli outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is telling consumers not to eat any romaine lettuce that has been harvested from California's growing region of Salinas. A total of 40 infections have been reported in 16 states, including one case in Washington.

In a warning issued a week before Thanksgiving and nearly a year after an almost identical warning in 2018, the agency is advising that “consumers not eat and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas, California growing region.”

Most romaine lettuce products are now labeled with a harvest location showing where they were grown.

The advice is intended for all types of lettuce products: whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, packages of pre-cut lettuce, and salad mixes that contain romaine including baby romaine, spring mix and Caesar salad.

Anyone who has romaine lettuce in their homes should check the packaging to see if “Salinas” is listed on the label. If it is, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to throw away the products and not eat them.

If a salad does not have the harvesting region listed on the package, the agency’s advice also is to throw it away.

The same packaging advice applies to anyone shopping for romaine lettuce.

In connection with the E. coli outbreak, a number of salad products were previously recalled for possible contamination. The recalled products have “use by” dates ranging from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. The recalled products were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Illnesses have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

According to the CDC, symptoms of E. coli infection vary from person to person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting.

“Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high (less than 101˚F/38.5˚C),” the agency states. “Most people get better within five to seven days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening.”

You can find more information about symptoms of E. coli infection via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Renee Schiavone contributed to this report.