FDA Says More Romaine Lettuce Recalled Over Risk Of E. Coli

A new romaine lettuce recall has been issued, this one over potential contamination with E. coli. The recall covers romaine lettuce sold as single head products and was voluntarily made 'out of an abundance of caution,' according to Tanimura & Antle, Inc., the company behind the recall. The lettuce was sold in 20 states around the US.

The recalled romaine lettuce features a packed on date of 10/15/2020 or 10/16/2020; the company notes that no other pack dates or romaine products are covered by this recall. As well, the company says there haven't been any reports of illnesses related to the recall.

The contamination risk specifically applies to E. coli O157:H7, according to the recall notice, which was published by the FDA. Those who contract the illness may experience things like diarrhea, but healthy individuals usually recover within a week or so. Young kids and the elderly are more at risk of developing kidney failure from E. coli, however, which could lead to death in extreme cases.

Due to the dates when the lettuce was packed — mid-October — the company points out that it is unlikely any of this product remains due to the short shelf life of lettuce. However, on the chance that you may have this lettuce around, the company says to throw it away uneaten.

It's unclear how the potential E. coli contamination was detected, but no other romaine products have been recalled at this time. This isn't the first time we've seen romaine recalled because of E. coli risk, and some past recalls have been far more extensive.