Health Alert: Avoid Romaine Lettuce

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning U.S. residents to avoid romaine lettuce due to an E. coli outbreak. Initially both agencies warned against consuming romaine lettuce altogether, but a recently updated advisory gives the OK as long as it is from the Imperial Valley in California, Arizona, Florida, or Mexico.

What’s E. coli?

E. coli is a bacterium generally found in the intestines of humans and other animals, but some of the strains cause dangerous – and sometimes even fatal – cases of food poisoning. Although food poisoning can be mild, it can also be extremely harmful in infants and young children, older individuals, and people who are ill, undergoing certain medical treatments, or who are immune-compromised.

Some of the common symptoms of food poisoning are:

• Nausea and/or vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• Abdominal cramping;
• Mild fever, and:
• Loss of appetite

Symptoms can present themselves at different times. In some cases, a person gets food poisoning just hours after eating contaminated food; in others, individuals do not experience symptoms of food poisoning for days or weeks after exposure. If you think you have food poisoning from eating contaminated food, you should contact a healthcare provider right away.

How to Avoid Getting Sick

Although the FDA says it is safe to eat romaine lettuce from certain areas, if you do not know where it is from you should not consume it.  To avoid getting sick, the administration recommends a variety of safe food handling practices. People with food preparation surfaces, utensils, and refrigerators that may have come into contact with contaminated romaine lettuce should be sure to:

• Wash and sanitize the walls and shelves of the refrigerator;
• Wash and sanitize all countertops, cutting boards, and other food preparation surfaces;
• Dispose of any food that came into contact with contaminated romaine lettuce

If you plan on purchasing and eating romaine lettuce, please be cautious and make sure you know where it comes from! Food poisoning can lead to a variety of medical problems, and it can also cause extreme dehydration. If you or a loved one became ill from eating contaminated romaine lettuce, call our firm directly and one of our team members will be happy to assist you.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers at Galfand Berger, LLP Representing Injured Individuals Since 1947

If you became ill after exposure to unsafe or contaminated food, we are happy to answer your questions and have one of our Philadelphia personal injury lawyers review your case for free. Galfand Berger’s offices located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, call us at 800-222-8792 or complete our online contact form.