Tanimura & Antle brand romaine lettuce
November 2020 Romaine Lettuce Recall Update: There is a new lettuce recall concerning bagged romaine lettuce sold at Walmart in 19 states. The Walmart lettuce that is cited in this Romaine lettuce recall is contaminated with E. coli.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is advising consumers not to eat Tanimura & Antle brand romaine lettuce packed as single heads due to food safety concerns.
A routine sample of the lettuce collected at a Walmart in Comstock Park, MI, and tested by MDARD’s Laboratory Division confirmed positive for E. coli 0157:H7. Further analysis conducted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services laboratory determined that the strain of E. coli recovered from the product sample is highly related genetically to E. coli causing two recent illnesses in Michigan.
The lettuce was sold in a clear plastic bag with a blue label and white lettering. It has the UPC number 0-27918-20314-9 and a white sticker indicating it was packed in Salinas, California on October 15, 2020.
What States Are Affected?
A total of 3,396 cartons of the recalled lettuce were distributed in Arkansas, Oregon, California, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin, New Mexico, South Carolina, Washington, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, and Illinois.
Infections with E. coli O157:H7 commonly cause bloody diarrhea and other symptoms. Most healthy adults can recover within a week, but some people develop a life-threatening type of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS).
Prior Romaine Lettuce Recalls
Nearing the eve of Thanksgiving Day, romaine lettuce has been recalled from the consumer market due to a new strain of E. coli that has sickened people in 11 states.
Health officials in both the United States and Canada are warning consumers not to eat romaine lettuce of any kind. That includes Spring mix, Caesar salads, any any other packaged salad containing romaine lettuce.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the agency hasn’t been able to issue a supplier recall, as they lack enough information as to where the outbreak is stemming from. He suggested grocery stores, supermarkets and restaurants withdraw romaine until the source has been identified.
The FDA said the outbreak has sickened 32 people in the United States and 18 people in Ontario and Quebec Canadian provinces. The last reported U.S. illness was reported on Oct. 31, while the most recent was in Canada earlier this month.
E. coli infections cause symptoms can come in the form of severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Though most people recover within a week, those with weak immune systems are at risk of severe health threat that may include hospitalization or even death.
There was another E. coli outbreak that prompted a romaine lettuce recall after sickening 200 people and killing five in the spring of this year. The outbreak was likely due to tainted irrigation water.
Chief science officer for the Produce Marketing Association, Robert Whitaker, indicated the current outbreak is larger in scope than the one earlier this year. The Yuma outbreak might have been more confusing to consumers, he said, which is why a direct call-to-action to remove romaine has been put in place.
Sarah Sorscher, deputy director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said tracing contaminated produce is difficult because middlemen are the ones responsible for packaging it.
“One of the problems with produce is that it can be very hard to trace back,” she said.
At this time of year, romaine lettuce is primarily grown in California, which has the highest number of reported illnesses (11). The other states that reported an outbreak were Connecticut (1), Illinois (2), Massachusetts (2), Maryland (1), Michigan (7), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (3), New York (2), Ohio (1), and Wisconsin (1).
The FDA said restaurants, retailers and other food service operators are advised not to serve romaine lettuce until more is known about the outbreak. Consumers should not eat romaine, and should discard any romaine lettuce products they have until the source is determined.
Questions About a Romaine Lettuce Recall Lawsuit? Contact a Johnson//Becker Lawyer for a Free Case Review.
If you or a loved one have contracted E. coli food poisoning from eating contaminated romaine lettuce, you may want to speak with the lawyers at Johnson//Becker. We are currently accepting new food poisoning lawsuits across the country, and you may be entitled to financial compensation.
We offer a Free Case Evaluation. Please contact us using the form below or by calling us at (800) 279-6386.
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