Lettuce recalled over E. coli
2006-10-09 09:36
San Francisco - Less than a week after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted its warning on fresh spinach grown in California's Salinas Valley, a popular brand of lettuce grown there was recalled on Sunday over concerns about E. coli contamination.
The lettuce does not appear to have caused any illnesses, the president of Salinas-based Nunes Co Inc said.
The lettuce scare comes amid other federal warnings that some brands of spinach, bottled carrot juice and recent shipments of beef could cause grave health risks - including paralysis, respiratory failure and death.
Irrigation water
Executives ordered the recall on Sunday after learning that irrigation water may have been contaminated with E. coli, said Tom Nunes Jr, president of the company.
So far, company investigators have not found E. coli bacteria in the lettuce itself, Nunes stressed.
"We're just reacting to a water test only. We know there's generic E. coli on it, but we're not sure what that means," he said.
"We're being extra careful. This is precautionary."
Sold in seven states
The recall covers green leaf lettuce under the Foxy brand purchased in grocery stores from October 3-6 in the western states of Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. It was also sold to distributors in those states who may have sold it to restaurants or institutions.
It is unlikely that the bacteria in the lettuce fields share the source of the E. coli found in spinach that has sickened nearly 200 people and has been linked to three deaths nationwide, Nunes said.
Pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria, or E. coli, can proliferate in uncooked produce, raw milk, unpasteurised juice, contaminated water and meat. When consumed, it may cause diarrhoea and bloody stools.
- AP