Health Canada issues warning for romaine lettuce sold in Quebec
Health Canada is sending out a warning about E. coli outbreak connected to romaine lettuce sold in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
“E. coli are bacteria that live naturally in the intestines of cattle, poultry and other animals. A common source of E. coli illness is raw fruits and vegetables that have come in contact with feces from infected animals,” said the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), in a release.
“E. coli are bacteria that live naturally in the intestines of cattle, poultry and other animals. A common source of E. coli illness is raw fruits and vegetables that have come in contact with feces from infected animals.”
Currently, there have been 21 reported cases of E. coli in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Individuals became sick in November 2017 and 10 have been hospitalized.
The following symptoms can appear within one to ten days after contact with the bacteria:
- nausea
- vomiting
- headache
- mild fever
- severe stomach cramps
- watery or bloody diarrhea
To protect yourself from E. coli, PHAC recommends the following tips:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, before and after handling lettuce.
- Discard outer leaves of fresh lettuce.
- Wash your unpackaged lettuce under fresh, cool running water. There is no need to use anything other than water to wash lettuce. Washing it gently with water is as effective as using produce cleansers.
- Keep rinsing your lettuce until all of the dirt has been washed away.
- Don’t soak lettuce in a sink full of water. It can become contaminated by bacteria in the sink.
- Ready-to-eat lettuce products sold in sealed packages and labelled as washed, pre-washed or triple washed do not need to be washed again.
- Use warm water and soap to thoroughly wash all utensils, countertops and cutting boards before and after handling lettuce to avoid cross-contamination.
- Store lettuce in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Discard when leaves become wilted or brown.
- Bagged, ready-to-eat, pre-washed lettuce products should also be refrigerated and used before the expiration date.
There are currently no recalls on any lettuce products.
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