H-E-B is removing all products that may contain romaine lettuce from their stores over concerns prompted by notices from the FDA about the possibility of romaine lettuce having E. coli.
The CDC is urging people not eat lettuce from the Salinas Valley in California. In an urgent warning, the CDC linked a national E. coli outbreak to romaine lettuce grown and harvested in Salinas and the general region. The warning includes whole heads and pre-cut salad mixes. Health officials say 40 people across 16 states have fallen ill and 28 needed to be hospitalized.
H-E-B issued the following statement, "committed to the quality of its products and the safety of its customers, H-E-B is voluntarily removing all products that contain romaine lettuce from its stores. This is in response to the CDC and FDA issuing a notice to retailers and suppliers to withdraw romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California due to a potential contamination of E. coli. The CDC and FDA also are advising customers throughout the U.S. to avoid purchasing and eating romaine lettuce from Salinas, California.
H-E-B says it is not aware of anyone reporting illnesses tied to lettuce purchased at H-E-B, although cases are being reported throughout the country of customers becoming ill after purchasing lettuce from other stores.
CDC is advising that consumers not eat and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas, California growing region.
- Most romaine lettuce products are labeled with a harvest location showing where they were grown.
- This advice includes all types of romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and packages of precut lettuce and salad mixes which contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.
- If you have romaine lettuce at home:
- Look for a label showing where the romaine lettuce was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.
- If the label says “Salinas” (whether alone or with the name of another location), don’t eat it, and throw it away.
- If it isn’t labeled with a growing region, don’t eat it, and throw it away.
- If you don’t know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, don’t eat it, and throw it away.
- Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine lettuce was stored.
- If you are buying romaine lettuce at a store:
- Look for a label showing where the romaine lettuce was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.
- If the label says “Salinas” (whether alone or with the name of another location), don’t buy it.
- If it isn’t labeled with a growing region, don’t buy it.
- Restaurants and retailers should check the label on bags or boxes of romaine lettuce, or ask their suppliers about the source of their romaine lettuce.
- Look for a label showing where the romaine lettuce was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.
- If the label says “Salinas” (whether alone or with the name of another location), don’t sell or serve it.
- If it isn’t labeled with a growing region, don’t sell or serve it.
- Suppliers, distributors, and others in the supply chain should not ship or sell romaine harvested in Salinas, California.
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