Some Idahoans Have Become Sick After Eating Romaine Lettuce
Pre-chopped romaine lettuce is part of a huge recall right now over fears about E.coli, and a handful of people in Idaho are among those who have fallen ill after eating it.
The package in your fridge will list one specific growing area that's the big concern.
I was in my neighborhood grocery store on Sunday, and there was NO romaine lettuce left on the shelf at all. None. The store removed every package and put up a sign with notice of the recall, and said they were doing it out of an abundance of caution. That may be the best move since the romaine that's out there has already made a few Idahoans sick.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the recall affects pre-chopped romaine lettuce that came from the Yuma, Arizona growing area.
The growing region is usually easy to find on the back of the package, but if we're getting the romaine from a restaurant the CDC wants us to ask for the growing source to be sure it's not Yuma. It can get serious.
Idaho Health officials estimate so far that eight people have gotten sick after eating bad romaine lettuce, but there could be more. Other people who get sick could think they just have a stomach bug and they don't bother to trace it to what they ate. Those situations don't get reported, and therefore are not added to the total. Of the eight individuals who have become sick, three have been hospitalized, and two of the three have developed kidney failure. From lettuce!
The Mayo Clinic says signs and symptoms of E. coli infection typically begin three or four days after exposure to the bacteria, but it could be as soon as one day after to more than a week later. Signs and symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Spinach, kale, spring mix, and other healthy greens are unaffected by the recall so we're in the clear with most of the produce section. Just avoid the pre-chopped romaine from Yuma at the grocery store, ask restaurants for the growing source, and send some love to the ones whose lives have changed from eating that bad lettuce. They're were just tryin' to be healthy.