Canadians are being urged to check where their romaine lettuce comes from after an outbreak of E. coli in the United States.
Health officials in the U.S. are currently investigating an outbreak of E. coli linked to romaine lettuce coming from Salinas, California. As a result, on Friday The Public Health Agency of Canada posted a notice that Canadians should avoid consuming any romaine lettuce that comes from the Salinas growing region.
Although the E. coli outbreak is not occurring in Canada, at least one Canadian has been reported as having an illness similar to the illnesses reported in the U.S. investigation.
"The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that romaine lettuce from the affected areas reported in the U.S. investigation is imported to Canada at this time of year," the notice stated. "The CFIA has taken measures to protect consumers and is implementing new actions at the border to ensure that any affected romaine lettuce products are no longer being imported into Canada."
As a result of the outbreak, consumers are also being advised to avoid eating and throw away any romaine lettuce that isn't labelled with a growing region. In addition, consumers are advised to avoid eating any salad mix if they are unsure whether or not it contains romaine lettuce. Grocery stores and restaurants are also being advised not to sell any lettuce that comes from the impacted region. The Public Health Agency of Canada also suggests that any shelves or drawers where romaine lettuce was stored should be sanitized and washed.
Symptoms of E. Coli can appear within one to 10 days after contact with the bacteria and include nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea. This is the fourth E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce affecting Canadian consumers in the last two years.