A dozen people sick in another outbreak of E. Coli related to romaine lettuce

Federal health officials are examining whether an outbreak of E. Coli that sickened 12 people in six states comes from the recalled romaine lettuce sold by Tanimura & Antle across the country, including at more than 1,100 Walmart stores.

Five of those infected have been hospitalized, and everyone affected by the current outbreak has shown the same strain of E. Coli which prompted a recall last week by the Salinas, Calif.-Based products company, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. . No deaths have been reported.

The CDC announced its probe after routine sampling in Michigan reported Tanimura & Antle lettuce to be infected with E. coli.

The bacteria usually strike three or four days after a person has consumed food contaminated with E. coli. Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, while some infected people may have kidney failure.

Tanimura & Antle on Friday recalled nearly 3,400 cases of single heads of romaine shipped to 19 states and Puerto Rico, according to a notice issued by the FDA. Walmart has published a list of 1,117 stores in 23 states where the recalled products are potentially sold.

Between the FDA’s announcement and Walmart’s listing, the recall involves romaine sold in no less than 30 states (see below) and Puerto Rico. Tanimura & Antle did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to Consumer Reports, illnesses have so far been reported in California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The recalled lettuce is packaged in clear plastic bags with a stamped “packed on” date of October 15, 2020 or October 16, 2020 and UPC number 0-27918-20314-9.

The states where the recalled products have potentially been sold are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

The outbreak differs from two others this year involving Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, according to the CDC.

Outbreaks of E. Coli involving romaine lettuce sickened 188 people across the country in November and December. Food regulators finally pointed out cow droppings as a likely culprit, with infected lettuce grown downstream of public land where cattle grazed in the Salinas Valley of California.