Romaine lettuce...throw it all away!

[TwinFoxes]

This is a very stern warning from the CDC. I'm not a very paranoid person, but I'm a little freaked out that I had a salad with romaine for lunch from the Wegman's salad bar. The news alert sadly came two hours too late.

The CDC told consumers to throw away any romaine lettuce they may already have purchased. Restaurants should not serve it, stores should not sell it, and people should not buy it, no matter where or when the lettuce was grown. It doesn’t matter if it is chopped, whole head or part of a mix. All romaine should be avoided.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/romaine-lettuce-is-not-safe-to-eat-cdc-warns-us-consumers/2018/11/20/726d0ae6-ece9-11e8-96d4-0d23f2aaad09_story.html?utm_term=.7e319b06509a

[SnuggleBuggles]

Again??? Ugh. :(
eta- I forgot abut the salad I had at lunch today. :(

[gymnbomb]

And I had a wrap with romaine lettuce in it for lunch today... No reported illnesses in my state yet, but a few very nearby.


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[bisous]

Oh my gosh. This is pretty extreme. I’ll pass on the word. It’s gotten to the point that I think the only way my greens will be safe enough to eat will be the ones I grow myself!

[ett]

Thanks for posting.

Ugh ... had a salad with romaine for lunch yesterday, and several times last week too.

[georgiegirl]

Ugh, we had salads yesterday and today.

[umsh]

Thanks for sharing...getting to the point I don’t want to eat salad at all anymore :(


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[Kindra178]

I think I have had romaine every day for the last 5 days.


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[georgiegirl]

I think I have had romaine every day for the last 5 days.


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Hopefully we all won’t die. Or else it will be very boring here. [emoji6]


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[essnce629]

Hopefully we all won’t die. Or else it will be very boring here. [emoji6]


Sent from my iPad using TapatalkExactly! I eat romaine all the time.

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[JElaineB]

Just saw this, I had a Caesar salad for l lunch yesterday.

[AnnieW625]

I eat a heart of romaine almost daily with my lunch. I just bought another bag of organic romaine today at the store. I have not been sick.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

I eat a heart of romaine almost daily with my lunch. I just bought another bag of organic romaine today at the store. I have not been sick.


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I'd still toss it!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Did you see the part where they recommend sanitizing your produce drawer?

[MSWR0319]

Ugh! I just bought 5 heads from Costco this afternoon. What a waste of money! (although, I'll gladly waste money if it means I don't get sick)

[DualvansMommy]

Wow. A very stern warning indeed! I had mixed salad yesterday containing spinach and romaine. Then had romaine again this evening with our tacos, instead of tortilla! One hour too late.


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[PZMommy]

Ugh! I just bought 5 heads from Costco this afternoon. What a waste of money! (although, I'll gladly waste money if it means I don't get sick)

I bet they’d give you a refund if you brought it back.

[Indianamom2]

I almost never eat salad as a main course, but I happened to be working at the hospital today instead of at home and I opted for the healthier salad. I know it had darker greens, but may have had some romaine too. It figures, the one day I try to be healthy!

[georgiegirl]

It’s going to be so slow here when we are all dead [emoji23]

[AngB]

Ugh. Every time I'm pregnant I feel like there is some kind of major outbreak. With DS3 it was the canteloupes over that summer. :(

So I just had Olive Garden salad for lunch yesterday....anyone happen to know what kind of lettuce that would be?!

[ang79]

Ugh. I have a bagged salad mix from Sams club with ice berg and romaine that I used for Dd1’s and my lunches for tomorrow. We ate from that same bag last Friday, think we are safe?


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[Globetrotter]

I guess that means most mixes, too. Yikes

[doberbrat]

It’s going to be so slow here when we are all dead [emoji23]


:ROTFLMAO:Love how we're all trying to be healthy. Over the summer I made dh return the romaine he'd bought. He grumbled and acted like I'd made the whole thing up but he hasnt bought any since. Of course, I went to the store last week an said "Hey, I havent had any romaine in forever I really want some".

[TwinFoxes]

Ugh! I just bought 5 heads from Costco this afternoon. What a waste of money! (although, I'll gladly waste money if it means I don't get sick)

I agree with PP, I'm sure Costco will refund you.


Ugh. I have a bagged salad mix from Sams club with ice berg and romaine that I used for Dd1’s and my lunches for tomorrow. We ate from that same bag last Friday, think we are safe?



Here's the thing, it's not like every single head has e-coli. but the problem is they cannot trace where the contamination is coming from, so they can't say what's safe and what's not. Odds are you are fine, and we probably all are. But it's still worrisome that the CDC doesn't have a handle on where the contamination is...possibly multiple sources.

I'm really not usually concerned about food, I'm always on the "keep" side of "keep or toss". But so strongly worded a warning definitely gave me pause!

[JustMe]

So, I ate my mason jar salads with a lot of Trader Joe's romaine lettuce today and yesterday...deciding if I should eat the one I have tomorrow. If the lettuce is contaminated, I already at some...

And what's this about needing to do something to my produce drawer?

[mackmama]

We all ate romaine at a restaurant last night. :(

[jgenie]

Ugh. I have a bagged salad mix from Sams club with ice berg and romaine that I used for Dd1’s and my lunches for tomorrow. We ate from that same bag last Friday, think we are safe?


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You’re probably fine but please don’t chance it. Toss whatever you still have.

[KrisM]

It’s going to be so slow here when we are all dead [emoji23]

I have not eaten any. I hope I'm not the only one left here by next week!

[JBaxter]

We have been eating on a mega bag I get at the local Amish grocery. We have 2 left. We are alive and may chance it.

[SnuggleBuggles]

So, I ate my mason jar salads with a lot of Trader Joe's romaine lettuce today and yesterday...deciding if I should eat the one I have tomorrow. If the lettuce is contaminated, I already at some...

And what's this about needing to do something to my produce drawer?

Read the whole article in OP.


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[trcy]

This honestly makes me so mad! So excuse me stepping up on my soapbox for a moment. The outbreak back in August was linked to run off from a large cattle farm. Basically cow poop contaminated the water used for the lettuce. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar situation here. This is one of the many reasons I will not consume animal products. I refuse to support this industry.
https://newfoodeconomy.org/e-coli-cattle-romaine-lettuce-fda/

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[Philly Mom]

Exactly! I eat romaine all the time.

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Me too.


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[TwinFoxes]

So, I ate my mason jar salads with a lot of Trader Joe's romaine lettuce today and yesterday...deciding if I should eat the one I have tomorrow. If the lettuce is contaminated, I already at some...

And what's this about needing to do something to my produce drawer?

They are saying that even if you ate some already it doesn't mean you can finish the it, throw the rest away. Especially bagged, it's not like the bag only has lettuce from one head. I mean, do what you want, but it's lettuce, we're not exactly talking truffles. It's not expensive.

[bisous]

I have not eaten any. I hope I'm not the only one left here by next week!

Haha. Me neither. I have a giant container of spinach I’ve been working on finishing so I haven’t had any for a week or more.

[Dream]

What about Organic? I accidentally bought organic over the weekend and probably paid too much for it. Do I have to throw that too?

[SnuggleBuggles]

What about Organic? I accidentally bought organic over the weekend and probably paid too much for it. Do I have to throw that too?

Yes!! It says ALL. They haven’t tracked the source. Organic offers no protection. :)


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[div_0305]

We are fortunate to get our lettuce from a CSA of small, family organic farmers, who do not have to worry about factory farm crap runoff. Never affected by any of these recalls. I hope some of you can get access to such produce. It costs a bit more, but I get healthy, tasty, produce that even my kids crave--and never needs to be thrown out.

[avd3875]

Ugh! I just bought 5 heads from Costco this afternoon. What a waste of money! (although, I'll gladly waste money if it means I don't get sick)

I bought the 6 pack of heads from Costco the day before the warning, as well as the four pack of Southwest salads (I usually buy the Caesars as well, but they were sold out). I took it all back to Costco yesterday* - the unopened 6 pack, the two remaining heads from the previous 6 pack and the two remaining salads from the 4 pack. They took it all back, and gave me the full price even though I told them I didn't expect anything back for the portion we had already consumed. They said it's their policy to do a full refund - especially in cases like this. The entire bottom rack on the returns shelf was packages of romaine. You definitely wouldn't be the only one returning it.

*I was picking my car up from the tire shop at Costco anyway, and there was nobody on the return line, so this was not a special trip to return lettuce. Otherwise I would have just thrown it away, as my time is worth more than the lettuce.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We are fortunate to get our lettuce from a CSA of small, family organic farmers, who do not have to worry about factory farm crap runoff. Never affected by any of these recalls. I hope some of you can get access to such produce. It costs a bit more, but I get healthy, tasty, produce that even my kids crave--and never needs to be thrown out.

I don 't know. Unless it's been grown in a green house, I wouldn't be so sure that it isn't exposed to undesirable things in nature. The PP guessed about the cause but I don't think that has been confirmed. Remember, even if some of us are/ have been CSA members, it's not like we are likely to be getting lettuce in late November- not too much is growing outside right now. :)

[ahisma]

I don 't know. Unless it's been grown in a green house, I wouldn't be so sure that it isn't exposed to undesirable things in nature. The PP guessed about the cause but I don't think that has been confirmed. Remember, even if some of us are/ have been CSA members, it's not like we are likely to be getting lettuce in late November- not too much is growing outside right now. :)

We get lettuce from a local hydroponic greenhouse, via a CSA membership here in Michigan. I feel pretty safe about our greens, but these warnings stop me from ever cancelling our membership.

[boilermakermom]

So, is it just romaine? Is green leaf ok? Baby spinach?

[mikala]

I don 't know. Unless it's been grown in a green house, I wouldn't be so sure that it isn't exposed to undesirable things in nature. The PP guessed about the cause but I don't think that has been confirmed. Remember, even if some of us are/ have been CSA members, it's not like we are likely to be getting lettuce in late November- not too much is growing outside right now. :)This. We adore our CSA but this time of year it's root vegetables and more root vegetables. I can see how an indoor hydroponic operation might avoid the e.coli if indeed the outbreak is due to runoff but agree that CSA plants could be susceptible too until we know the cause.

That's awesome that PP has access to year round greens but that just isn't the case in many areas and I'm sure it's cost prohibitive for many.

[MSWR0319]

I bought the 6 pack of heads from Costco the day before the warning, as well as the four pack of Southwest salads (I usually buy the Caesars as well, but they were sold out). I took it all back to Costco yesterday* - the unopened 6 pack, the two remaining heads from the previous 6 pack and the two remaining salads from the 4 pack. They took it all back, and gave me the full price even though I told them I didn't expect anything back for the portion we had already consumed. They said it's their policy to do a full refund - especially in cases like this. The entire bottom rack on the returns shelf was packages of romaine. You definitely wouldn't be the only one returning it.

*I was picking my car up from the tire shop at Costco anyway, and there was nobody on the return line, so this was not a special trip to return lettuce. Otherwise I would have just thrown it away, as my time is worth more than the lettuce.

That's good to know for the future! We live an hour from Costco, so there was no way I was driving back to return it. I would have paid more in gas just to get there!

[JElaineB]

So, is it just romaine? Is green leaf ok? Baby spinach?Spinach is ok. Green leaf is supposed to be ok also, I bought and have eaten some this week, so I certainly hope so.